Ashes triumph in Australia would be Stokes's crowning achievement

For a player who has pushed England to unprecedented heights, Ben Stokes will strap the team to his back once again and hope to carry the nation to its cricketing Everest: reclaiming the Ashes on Australian soil.

The flame-haired all-rounder has delivered repeatedly on the game's biggest stages, securing white-ball World Cups with career-defining knocks.

But leading England to Ashes triumph over the next seven weeks would leave few in doubt about the 34-year-old's place among England's all-time greats.

Only three England captains have secured the urn in Australia in the last 50 years, with Andrew Strauss the last in 2010/11.

"I've come here absolutely desperate to get home on that plane in January as one of the lucky few captains from England who have come here and been successful," Stokes told media in Perth.

"We know it's a huge task coming to Australia and everything that comes with that away from the field, on the field. It is a huge two-and-a-half months for us."

Beating Australia this time around would rank among England's greatest victories.

Strauss's 3-1 win and Mike Gatting's 2-1 triumph in 1986/87 were against modest Australian teams struggling to rebuild after the retirements of champion players.

Mike Brearley's 5-1 cakewalk in 1978/79 came against an Australian side gutted by a player exodus to World Series Cricket.

But this Australia is a different beast.

Even with captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood absent for the first test, and an ageing squad profile in general, the world's top-ranked test side easily have enough quality to send England home disappointed again.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

It will take something special for England to wrest back the urn. For most former players and pundits, that "something" is