A disconsolate Ben Stokes questioned England’s mentality and demanded more fight from his side after they suffered another eight-wicket drubbing at the hands of Australia to go 2-0 down in the Ashes.
Having lost inside two days in the series opener in Perth, England were well beaten again in Brisbane as they could set Australia only 65 to win despite showing more resistence on day four at The Gabba.
The skipper himself led from the front, hitting a 36th Test fifty as he shared in a 96-run stand for the seventh wicket with Will Jacks that at least forced Australia to bat again.
But the damage had already been done after a wayward bowling display early on day two that allowed Australia off to a flier in reponse to England’s first-innings 334, along with five dropped catches in the home side’s 511, and then a top-order batting collapse late on day three that had the tourists limping towards another heavy defeat.
Ben Stokes’ side trail 2-0 in the Ashes with three Tests to play after another disappointing defeat in Brisbane
“When the game is on the line, teams are able to handle that pressure better than us,” Stokes said in an interview with TNT Sports.
“We are a great team when we are ahead, when we are behind and playing huge catch-up we are great, but when then game is on the line we are not able to stand up to pressure. That is obvious as a captain.
“It’s a mentality, a mindset. How you get yourself into a head space to make clear decisions is so important to be successful at this level.
“No one means to drop catches or not bowl where you are supposed to but those things cannot happen at this level.”
England dropped five catches in the field during Australia’s first innings in Brisbane
Stokes: We won’t shy away from the battle
At the post-match presentation, Stokes added: “We knew exactly how we needed to bowl and we weren’t able to do it for a long enough period to put Australia under pressure, that was evident in the way they were able to score so quickly and easily.
“We weren’t able to execute with bat and ball and we’ll be having some conversations in the dressing room.
“It seems to be a constant theme that when the pressure is on, Australia keep outdoing us. They say Australia is not a place for weak men and we are definitely not weak but we need to find something.”
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Matthew Hayden had a message for Joe Root following his century in the second Ashes Test! Video credit: ECB
Despite his obvious disappointment, Stokes backed his side to still turn the series around, urging his team to show more fight as they look to win the final three Tests.
“We won’t shy away from the battle but we need to sort things out pretty quick if we want to bring the Ashes back to England,” Stokes said.
“I absolutely believe in that dressing room. I have full belief in the players and coaching staff. We know we have to win these next three games.
“We need to show more fight. It’s not a skill thing, so we need to find out why we seem to keep doing what we are doing.”
‘Root told me after Perth he’d get a big score’
In his follow up with TNT Sports, Stokes also pointed to Joe Root as an example for his side to follow, the former England captain having finally answered some of his critics with a first hundred in Australia in the first innings.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain reflected on Joe Root’s first Test hundred in Australia.
“Root getting a hundred is a great example for the group,” Stokes said. “Just look at the scrutiny he was under coming out here.
“He sat next to me after that first Test in Perth and apologised – which I said he never has to do – and told me he would get a big score next time.
“That is an incredible mindset that everyone can feed off. To do what he did this week, a lot of guys can learn from that, myself included.”
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
All times UK and Ireland
