Ben Stokes will be keeping an eye on the first Test in Brisbane from home ahead of possibly joining his England teammates as he awaits his Ashes fate.
The star allrounder, who has kept a low profile since his arrest for alleged involvement in a brawl, tweeted his support to the tourists before the five-match series gets underway at the Gabba on Thursday morning.
Stokes is reportedly set to find out this week whether he will be charged by police over the Bristol street fight in September which left a man hospitalised with facial injuries.
There are suggestions the vice-captain will be cleared by police and the England and Wales Cricket Board, possibly in time to join the squad ahead of the second Test in Adelaide.
"With the Ashes starting very soon, I just wanted to get a message out the all the boys out in the Australia, wishing them all the best for the first Test match," Stokes said in a video message.
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"I know how much preparation has gone into making sure everyone's right and ready to go. And by the looks of it, everyone is.
"I just wanted to wish all the fans who made the long travels out to Australia all the best as well.
"I hope we can give you a good result in the first Test match. I'll be sat at home watching and following the lads and hoping they do really well."
England captain Joe Root this week insisted he isn't sweating on Stokes' arrival, saying England are more than capable of defending the urn without him.
But Root admitted they would miss Stokes for the first Test.
"I think if you asked any captain in the world in any form of cricket 'would you prefer to have Ben Stokes in your squad?' ... they would all say yes," Root said.
