Australia's star batsman Steve Smith says the return of England's talisman Ben Stokes is a welcome fillip for the looming Ashes series.

Six months after injuring his index finger in the Indian Premier League, England's best cricketer has confirmed he's finally mentally and physically fit enough to return to the game.

And Smith says Australia will relish the challenge of again locking horns with Stokes in the five-Test series starting in Brisbane on December 8.

"Their summer, he missed all of the cricket there with some mental health stuff going on so anytime someone comes back from that it's a great thing," Smith told reporters on Tuesday.

"And we love coming up against the best players so it's great to see he is going to be on the plane.

"Every team is more dangerous when you have got someone like Ben Stokes playing so it certainly adds a lot to their depth ... I'm glad personally that he's able to be back playing some cricket, it makes for a really good series."

Stokes required two surgeries on his injured finger, including one earlier this month, while he also took time away from the game for his mental wellbeing.

The 30-year-old admitted he was in a "dark place having difficult thoughts" after his finger injury, his feelings exacerbated by 'bubble fatigue'.

"We have seen it a lot more now, the acceptance of people when they're not doing well mentally," said Smith, who faced his own mental struggles after the 2018 ball-tampering affair in Cape Town.

"So credit to Ben for being able to make that decision and step away for a bit and make sure he's right to go out and play and live his life,

"You know, there's more out there sometimes than just a game of cricket.

"So for him to be able to make that decision to step away, and for the acceptance from the ECB and everyone involved, I think that is really important for people going forward, that is for sure."

Stokes missed the last tour of Australia for off-field reasons but was their one shining light in 2013-14 when he scored a fourth-innings century in just his second Test.

In the past three years alone he has averaged 45 with the bat and 28.02 with the ball and is ranked second in the ICC's allrounder rankings despite his long absence.

In his Mirror newspaper column, Stokes said he sought counsel from his wife, England captain Joe Root and health professionals.

"I was always one of those people who wouldn't talk about how they're feeling and just keep it internal and crack on," Stokes wrote.

"I now realise talking is such a powerful thing and it has completely changed me."

Stokes will arrive in Australia next Thursday with the England Lions and Test specialists ahead of the Ashes opener.

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