Ben Stokes Admits England’s Struggles After Defeat to Australia
Brisbane: England captain Ben Stokes acknowledged another subpar performance from his team, stating they need to improve significantly to compete with Australia in the ongoing series. Despite the absence of key players such as Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon for the day-night Test at the Gabba, Australia delivered a formidable display, leaving England in a difficult position.
After achieving a score of 325/9 on the first day, England aimed to restrict Australia to a similar total. However, Australia’s lower order capitalized, frustrating the England bowlers for over 50 overs and securing a decisive 177-run lead. On the fourth day, Stokes and Will Jacks managed to stabilize the innings temporarily, but ultimately, Australia secured the victory.
During the post-match presentation with Isa Guha, Stokes reflected, “A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line. In small passages, we’ve been able to bring the game back into some kind of control, but then we’ve let it slip away.”
Stokes expressed disappointment, especially considering the talent within the team. He emphasized the need for players to introspect on the moments when England held the upper hand and how to capitalize on those opportunities to dominate longer stretches of the match. “We need to think a bit harder and deeper about those moments and what we’re taking mentally into those, and overall show a bit more fight when it’s needed,” he added.
When questioned about whether the pressure of expectations weighed on the team, Stokes acknowledged the presence of pressure since their arrival in Australia but remained confident in his team’s potential for a turnaround. “To me, it just seems to be a constant theme at the moment, that when you know the game is in a pressure moment, Australia keeps outdoing us in those moments,” he stated.
He concluded by underscoring the urgency of the situation: “They say Australia isn’t a place for weak men. We’re definitely not weak, but we need to find something. Now we’re two-nil down, and with three games remaining, we need to sort it.”
England has not won a Test match in Australia for 17 games, spanning four series, and will require exceptional performances to change their fortunes as the series progresses.
