England captain Ben Stokes addresses a press convention after the third Ashes Check in Adelaide on December 21, 2025. England misplaced the Ashes sequence with simply 11 days of cricket in opposition to Australia.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Skipper Ben Stokes said on Sunday (December 21, 2025) it “sucks” to lose the Ashes inside 11 days however vowed England would bounce again as a extra constant facet within the last two Exams in Melbourne and Sydney.
Their capitulation over three Exams is a far cry from the pre-Ashes hype that promised a hard-fought sequence, with Australia proving higher in all departments.
Stokes admitted as a lot, however mentioned defeat harm nonetheless.
“We got here right here with a objective in thoughts and we’ve not with the ability to obtain that. It hurts and it sucks however we ain’t going to cease,” he mentioned.
Not less than England lastly confirmed a number of the struggle Stokes had been demanding within the third Check, coming inside 82 runs of a serious upset in Adelaide as they chased a world document 435 to win.
“I feel the boys have been glorious right now. They confirmed some nice utility,” mentioned coach Brendon McCullum.
“They bounced off one another and tried to take the sport as deep as they might. We didn’t get there, however I assumed it was a nice achievement.”
Whereas they confirmed extra grit in Adelaide after eight-wicket losses in Perth in two days and Brisbane in 4, England have failed to fulfill the large moments all through the sequence.
Stokes mentioned the important thing distinction between the edges was “fixed execution” with England missing Australia’s relentless high quality.
“Australia have simply been capable of execute issues on a far more constant foundation than us,” he mentioned.
“Each with the ball and the bat, and within the area. They’ve been capable of outdo us on a a lot greater stage.”
McCullum put it right down to Australia making higher choices in strain moments.
“For us, from the get-go, it has by no means been about scoring charges,” he mentioned, alluding to the ultra-aggressive “Bazball” model of play he and Stokes pioneered.
“It’s about respecting what’s coming at you, being current within the second.
“You establish what the degrees of danger are, however what the alternatives are and ensure the way to counter that.
“Be capable to apply strain when you want to and take in strain when you want to.
“I don’t assume now we have acquired that steadiness proper within the earlier encounters within the sequence.
“If we had cottoned onto that earlier then we’d have been extra aggressive.”
Printed – December 21, 2025 10:48 am IST
