England skipper Ben Stokes has now confessed that his team has been “poor” in the current Ashes series against Australia, as they have been losing consistently in the first three Tests. However, despite all this, it has been confirmed that he is committed to leading his team further.
AUS vs ENG: Lost Ashes in Record Time
England’s Ashes campaign has rapidly disintegrated, with Australia securing the series inside just 11 days. Defeats by eight wickets in Perth and Brisbane, and an 85-run loss in Adelaide Oval, only emphasised Australian supremacy.
Stokes admitted that “in terms of just performing our plans better, Australia have just been the better team in this series.”
Stokes stated that Australia had been superior to England “for a longer period of time,” penalising them whenever the quality of their execution waned, especially with the ball.
Ben Stokes Pledges Loyalty to England Captaincy
However, Ben Stokes did not mince words when it came to his future. After the signing of a new two-year contract, which will run through the end of the summer of 2027, he stated that his ambition to lead England remains the same.
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Stokes has highlighted that there has been no change in his future and leadership plans, despite the start of the tour, and has reiterated his commitment to the team during a very tough time for them.
England’s Inconsistency a Key Issue
When looking back at the performances of the English team, Stokes said that their inconsistency, particularly in bowling, has led to their losing performances.
England had arrived in Australia looking to make history by claiming an away series victory over Australia for the first time since the2010-11 series, but this now seems less likely as they failed to maintain pressure and make plans come together.
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“’We’ve had moments where we’ve been very good,” Stokes said, “but you just can’t be so poor with execution as consistently as we’ve been.’”
Tactical Switch Throws Up Questions in AUS vs ENG Series
England’s batting strategy has also been talked about. Known as an aggressive unit under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, England’s scoring rate has been significantly slower than that of their counterparts in this series.
Australia captain Pat Cummins felt that it appeared as if England were changing their approach with every match, potentially in a bid to look for a way that works abroad.
Australia captain Pat Cummins suggested England appeared to change their style from match to match, possibly in search of a method that suited overseas conditions.
Cummins spoke about how England was very conservative in their approach on the second day of Adelaide Test scoring 154 for 5 in 54 overs in scorching Heat, which took the Australians by shock.
Cummins Praises Australia’s Consistency
Pat Cummins accepted he was surprised with the defensive actions of the English team on the flat pitch in Adelaide, especially in such high temperatures above 40°C. Cummins was pleased with Australia’s commitment to their own strategy in the series between AUS and ENG. As Cummins said, one reason that Australia has been so successful is that they have been able to stick to their game plan and style.
Stokes Defends England’s Fight and Mindness
Even with the loss of the series, Ben Stokes says that England has a lot at stake in the upcoming Tests. He emphasized the pride he derives from the honor of playing for England.
Stokes further added that the Adelaide Test match seemed to be England’s best effort throughout the tour, and this could be seen by the late struggle put up by Will Jacks and Jamie Smith.
Upset, Missed Opportunities – Adelaide
Stokes also picked out the toss in Adelaide, which Australia won for the first time in this series. England bowled a total of Australia, which Stokes believed to be a poor score, but they could not make use of it. Although England managed to get back into the game and cut the deficit to 85, Stokes admitted, “Being close isn’t enough when you need to win.”
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