Stokes admits putting 'too much emphasis' on Ashes

England and Australia drew the previous Ashes series 2-2 in 2023

England captain Ben Stokes has admitted he put "too much emphasis" on next year's Ashes in Australia and will now be "toning down expectations".

At the beginning of the home summer, Stokes explained an overhaul of his team, including the retirement of James Anderson, was done with the Ashes in mind.

Before they travel down under next November, England have the final Test in New Zealand, a one-off match at home to Zimbabwe in May and a marquee five-Test series hosting India.

"In interviews in the summer and stuff like that a lot was pointed towards the Ashes, which was a long way away," said Stokes.

"You do always have one eye on that but we have six more Tests before that.

"It's just making sure I keep my focus on being in the here and now and what we've got coming up, and when the Ashes is our next series, then we will focus on it."

England start their 17th, and final, Test of 2024 in Hamilton on Saturday (22:00 GMT Friday) with the chance to become only the third visiting side to win a three-match series 3-0 in New Zealand. Just once before, in 2016, have England played 17 Tests in a calendar year.

After a number of players opted to drive north from second-Test venue Wellington, England did not name a team on Thursday and will instead wait until Friday's training session.

Stokes said he expects Harry Brook - the world's new number-one Test batter - to be fit after an ankle problem, but hinted at freshening up the pace-bowling attack.

"Even though we finished early in Wellington it felt like all the overs from the seamers were more than the scorecard because of the weather," he said. "The lads put in tough graft, so we'll see how they pull up."

The finale in Hamilton is also the last before Test head coach Brendon McCullum brings the England white-ball teams under his control early new year.

Asked if he expected to be part of England's plans for a tour of India in January and the Champions Trophy in February, all-rounder Stokes simply said: "We'll see".

Before the home series against West Indies in July, England took the decision to end the international career of Anderson, their all-time leading wicket-taker.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was chosen ahead of Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow, and Shoaib Bashir promoted over Jack Leach as first-choice spinner.

At the time, 18 months before the Australia tour, Stokes said: "We had to make some decisions around what we think is best for the team going into that Ashes series. We want to go out there and we want to get that urn back."

The captain's stance was a sharp pivot away from the message of his previous two years in charge, when he and coach McCullum would insist on focusing on the task at hand.

And in Hamilton on Thursday, 33-year-old Stokes said: "Through my own fault I maybe spoke a little too much about the Ashes and putting too much emphasis on that series considering how much cricket we had to play before that.

"Every Englishman and Australian knows the Ashes is a big series for both teams, but toning down on the expectations on that series is something I will be better at in the build-up.

"In leadership roles, you can differ from where you first started and think that's the right thing to be saying or be thinking about, which then takes you away from what has been a successful mindset. It's a learning curve as a leader, I guess."