"I'm not f***ing letting you down."
It is a phrase many of those on England's 2021-22 Ashes tour remember. Uttered at a time when the team were already down. Three-nil to be exact, after the one Test they did not lose, in Sydney.
There were echoes of Leonardo DiCaprio's interpretation of Jordan Belfort in Martin Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street". A dramatic declaration of defiance echoing through a crumbling institution. The protagonist in this instance - Ben Stokes - rallying in the face of the approaching bankruptcy of body and mind rather than pocket.
Stokes had injured his side on day two of the fourth Test, and was unable to bowl the final delivery of his 14th over of Australia's first innings, which eventually swelled to 416 for 8. He struck 66 the next day, then 60 two days later, of which the 123 deliveries taken were of far more importance as England clung on for a precious, whitewash-staving yet ultimately inconsequential draw.
Scans revealed a grade two tear - a tour ender in anyone else's side. And at the back end of a debilitating Covid-restricted tour, a route home, to the sanctity of normality. But Stokes did not want to go. He did not want to leave his team in the lurch.
It didn't matter of course; a non-bowling Stokes scored four and five as Australia won by 146 runs inside three days to secure their 4-0 win. His presence on the tour had come about through cutting short a much-needed mental health break. And yet, rather than break him further, it eventually brought him light. Cracks in the despair that allowed the light of future, better days to shine through. Not just for him, but English Test cricket. Both have become one and, on Friday, are embarking on another Ashes. His last in Australia.
"I understand what this series means in my journey as England captain," Stokes said in his final press conference at Perth's Optus Stadium.
Success would be a crowning glory to an already decorated career, let alone a major honor as a national leader. As a person, it would be another significant moment of a life indelibly linked with this country.
It was here, in 2013-14, that Stokes announced himself as a cricketer. A rounder, redder-faced 22-year-old, he started the series with his head down, grafting, as the greatest England team you ever did see set about stabbing each other in the back and keeping notes for their own autobiographies. Each walk to and from the Optus from the team's luxurious Crown Towers hotel has taken Stokes past the WACA, where he blitzed that maiden century. The time that has since elapsed was hammered home earlier this week by Stokes' wife, Claire, who reminded him their son, Layton, was one at the time.
Stokes left the country as England's sole comfort, but returned a year later seemingly surplus to the team's requirement. At a loose end after being omitted from England's 2015 World Cup squad, he undertook a four-match Big Bash League stint as Melbourne Renegades overseas player, replacing Kiwi Jesse Ryder.
He dipped into the nightlife - as any young twenty-something in Melbourne should do - finding a kindred spirit in James Pattinson. Though only managing a couple of contributions - a 77 against Hobart Hurricanes and 2 for 22 versus Melbourne Stars - they were enough to pelt at the selectors. How could they leave out such a talent? They never did again and, seven years later, he had guided England to ODI and T20I World Cup wins.
There is an argument to be made that Stokes' experience on the fringes of the Ashes tour in 2017-18 might have been the most formative. The incident in Bristol that led to his ECB suspension that winter was itself a major blot on his character. But his experience of watching on from afar, powerless, as Joe Root's first Ashes as captain unravelled was arguably the sharpest tool to have moulded the Stokes we see today. In his absence, the rest of the team caught the stray bullets; labelled a boozy team, even thuggish. Jonny Bairstow's greeting of Cameron Bancroft - exaggerated as a "headbutt" - triggered umpteen headlines and a midnight curfew that exists to this day.
A few weeks later, Ben Duckett was reprimanded for pouring a drink on James Anderson, who had already poured one on himself. Enough time has since passed for Duckett that, for old time's sake, he even had designs on going back to the venue - The Avenue - while in Perth, only to find it had closed down. By contrast, Stokes refused to engage at all when the subject of that tour was brought up in a UK-only briefing at the team hotel earlier this week.
What is certain is that that absence partially motivated his late availability four years later. The determination to not let down his teammates, to fight with and for his best mate Root, and not shirk the flagellation that comes with a bruising Ashes defeat.
Call it penance, call it contrition - but it was not wasted. From those depths, Stokes took stock. And when he was eventually handed the keys to English cricket in April 2022, had a plan that has, so far, taken him to 22 wins in 36 Tests as full-time captain.
"I think what we've done over the last couple of years in particular is, we've made a team and a squad that have been able to gel together," Stokes said.
"One big thing me and Baz [McCullum] firmly believe in is, if you create a tight-knit group, not only on the field, but off the field, then you create an environment where people are enjoying themselves away from the field, as well as on the field, because that's just going to help team morale."
Beyond the talent, including the fastest pace attack they have ever taken to Australia, is the camaraderie that shines through. A greater togetherness has been married with the need for a more empathetic environment. When Stokes took over, the Test shirt was a heavy burden. Now, it is encouraged to be donned as a cape.
His inkling three years ago that he needed to surround himself with "10 selfless cricketers" was sound, though perhaps a bit of an under-estimation. Those not part of the 12-man squad announced on Wednesday have been doubling as coaches; Matthew Potts spent yesterday hitting catches to England's deep fielders, while Jacob Bethell - a left-handed thrower - was dog-sticking to batters on Thursday afternoon as they prepared for the challenge of facing Mitchell Starc.
"They've all proven themselves on the biggest stage that they can win games of cricket for England," Stokes said of those now by his side. "They can change a game in a blink of an eye. In terms of telling them what to do cricket-wise ... nothing. Just keep going out and doing what you've been doing, because it's been pretty good since you've been going."
Much has been made of whether this is the best chance England have had in Australia since 2010-11. Their expectations in 2013-14 were arguably even higher, given that that tour featured many of the protagonists from the previous visit, and came off the back of England's 3-0 Ashes win on home soil earlier that year. But then they were blindsided by Mitchell Johnson, and the rest was history.
What is certain is this is the best version of Stokes to have made it to Australia. By extension, the team created in his image has a shot.
Are they good enough to beat this Australia side? We do not have to wait long to find out. From Friday onwards, over the next six weeks in five different cities, we will finally be granted an answer. What we do know for certain is whichever way it goes, the players will not let each other down.