Stokes Demands Mental Strength After Brisbane Defeat
England captain Ben Stokes has delivered a stark assessment of his team's character following their second heavy defeat in the Ashes series, insisting his dressing room is 'not a place for weak men'. After Australia sealed an eight-wicket victory in the second Test at Brisbane's Gabba ground, matching the margin from the first Test, Stokes pinpointed a failure to handle pressure as the critical flaw.
A Question of Character Under Fire
Stokes conceded that while his players are immensely skilled, they have repeatedly been outdone in the pivotal moments. 'Australia have managed to get through those periods and outdo us,' he said. 'I know it’s not a skill thing... But if you can’t put it down to skill then you start to wonder, what is it?'
He contrasted England's performance with Australia's, stating the home side had been superior 'where the heat is on and the pressure is really, really cooking'. In a damning summary, Stokes admitted his players had 'all been guilty at moments of letting the pressure, the occasion, the circumstances, get to us'.
McCullum Admits to 'Overpreparing'
The post-mortem extended to England's preparations. Coach Brendon McCullum suggested the squad may have trained too intensely before the Brisbane Test, which followed a single, brief warm-up match before the series opener. 'I actually felt like we overprepared to be honest,' McCullum told Channel 7.
Stokes agreed with this analysis, referencing a team mantra about training with purpose. 'There’s a great saying: are you going to train to train, or are you going to train to dominate?' he said, criticising sessions done for appearance rather than tangible gain.
The squad is now heading to the Sunshine Coast resort of Noosa for a short break to refresh mentally before travelling to Adelaide on Saturday for the third Test. Stokes emphasised the importance of this reset, acknowledging the 'huge part' the mental side plays in top-level sport.
Hope Remains for Adelaide Fightback
Despite the 2-0 series deficit, the England captain was adamant that belief remains. 'If we lose hope we might as well not turn up,' Stokes declared. 'I haven’t lost hope, that dressing room hasn’t lost hope, and I’ll be doing everything I can as captain to ensure that everyone is as positive as they possibly can be.'
He concluded by stressing the need for his team to be 'not only physically very good but mentally very good as well' when the Ashes battle resumes at the Adelaide Oval.
