Ashes 2021: Having Ben Stokes back is great-Jack Leach's prospects boosted by return of England star

England are beaming with the return of Ben Stokes for the Ashes but few players could be happier than spinner Jack Leach, who sees the all-rounder as his own ticket back into the Test set-up.

The return of Ben Stokes to the England squad is happy news for Jack Leach as the left-arm spinner's hopes of playing a meaningful part in the five-Test Ashes series will get a major boost by the star all-rounder's comeback.

Stokes's absence through the home summer also saw Leach left out in the cold, with selectors preferring seam-heavy attacks for "team balance" against New Zealand and for most of the truncated India series.