Joe Root says Ben Stokes' potential absence from the Ashes will allow other players "do something special" as England aim to retain the urn.
Vice-captain Stokes will not fly to Australia with his England team-mates on Saturday as the investigation into his arrest on suspicion of actual bodily harm following an incident in Bristol in September continues.
Root says he does not know if or when Stokes will be available - but says the entire squad believe they can beat Steve Smith's side without him.
"It is an ongoing investigation and I don't really know how long things are going to take," England skipper Root said at Lord's on Friday. "I think we just have to sit tight and wait.
"It's disappointing that Ben is not going to be with us but we're a strong squad and it gives other guys an opportunity to stand up, put their stamp on Test cricket and do something special.
"(Stokes joining the squad) is something we can look at when it's a possibility. We've got to make sure we plan and prepare as a squad and look to approach it as if this is our team going out there for the tour.
"We can't look at what is out of our hands, we want to get out there and get our teeth into the cricket," added Root, who said a decision will be made on his vice-captain in Australia "over the next couple of weeks."
England hold the Ashes after triumphing 3-2 on home soil in 2015 - Root named England's Player of the Series after scoring 460 runs at 57.50 - but were thrashed 5-0 on their last trip down under in 2013-14, in which Root averaged just 27.42 and was dropped for the final Test.
"I see a squad of players that are more than capable of going over there and doing something special," said Root, who will captain England in an Ashes series for the first time.
"If you don't believe you can go over there and come back winning then there is no point in getting on the plane - I look everyone in the eye and they are all determined to win and come home successful.
"It's the pinnacle of Test cricket for an Englishman to go to Australia and have the opportunity to win - I don't think there's much more you need to motivate yourself as a player and a captain.
"I'm obviously a very different player now to what I was last time we were there - there's a really good incentive for me to get off to a good start, set the tone and lead from the front with weight of runs."
Root also dismissed the notion that there is a drinking culture within the England team, with Stokes' arrest coming after an incident outside a nightclub following the side's win over Windies in the third ODI.
"We know it wasn't good enough," he added. "I don't think there is a drinking culture but we will address the issue - we are grown men and we will make sure things like this don't happen again."