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https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/former-england-captains-slam-ben-stokes-co-ashes-performance-10411328/



Written by Shankar Narayan

Updated: December 10, 2025 11:43 AM IST


England shambolic Ben Stokes ashes

England's captain Ben Stokes leaves the field after losing the second
Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane,
Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025..

After a second consecutive hammering by eight wickets in the five-Test
series Ashes series, England captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum fronted up to the media in Brisbane on Sunday, but opted not to
deep dive into the frailties of their batters and bowlers, instead
throwing light on other aspects, such as character and staying fresh as
a unit.

rCLA dressing room that I am captain of, is not a place for weak men
either. We need to dig deep. I need to dig deep,rCY Stokes said after the loss.

rCLI actually felt like we overprepared, to be honest. We had five intense training days, and I think sometimes when yourCOre in the heat of the
battle, the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh. I think
the boys just need a few days off and probably need to change up a few
of the training methods a little bit,rCY McCullum said after the loss.

The defeat was also marred by other incidents, including Jofra Archer
walking into the Gabba with a pillow in hand, which found a strong
reaction from former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden, who
called it a rCLshocking lookrCY.
Also Read | Vaughan: rCyWe laughed at age profile of Aus cricketrCa.England would never have picked Weatherald at 31, but he looked so readyrCO

The defeat at Brisbane that puts them 0-2 down led to several strong
reactions from former England captains and players, many of whom
questioned various aspects such as preparation, resilience and an unwillingness to change.
Michael Atherton rCo The Times

rCLMcCullum, for sure, knew what he was saying with his rCLoverpreparedrCY line. It was not a slip of the tongue, as he repeated it to various
outlets. He may have been trying to deflect attention from his players
onto himself, but that is probably overthinking matters. What is clear,
which is something Stokes also reiterated after defeat, is that he wants energies channelled into the white heat of competition rather than the build-up to itrCY.
Nasser Hussain rCo The Athletic

rCLWhether you want to talk about rCyBazballrCO or the style of play, they are just not playing good enough cricket. If someone had told you before
this Ashes that Australia would have been without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, and then also Nathan Lyon in the second Test, you would have thought England would have a real chance here. But they have still been outplayed.rCY


Sir Ian Botham

rCLThey missed a trick. They could have sent the team that was playing in
this Test to Canberra, and then at least they would have had some
experience with the pink ball. What did they do? rCyWell, we donrCOt need
to. rCy Well, I suggest you do need to. You dropped five catches. They couldrCOve been ahead (in the game). If I was an England supporter and IrCOd paid the money to come here, IrCOd be asking the ECB for a refund.rCY
Sir Geoffrey Boycott rCo The Telegraph

rCLEngland talk the talk but canrCOt walk the walk. With this sort of
batting and bowling, they couldnrCOt win an egg cup. Ben Stokes said
England had a blueprint. They had been planning this tour for four years
and know what they are doing. What a load of bullshit. We canrCOt believe anything Ben or his team say. None of them want to listen to anyone
outside of their own camp,rCY.
Michael Vaughan rCo The Telegraph

rCLIn English cricket, we gift our players a lot quickly. Until English cricket addresses all this and remembers that Test cricket is a tough
game that does not allow for shortcuts, the mediocrity will continue.
You hear suggestions of weak men. That is what our system has created.rCY
Mark Butcher rCo Wisden

rCLTheyrCOve been beaten by a team with a stand-in captain, stand-in bowling attack, stand-in opening batter. And theyrCOve been beaten by old school determination, technique, hard work and discipline. So the sort of self-expression, the aggression, the vibes, and the talent, which is
undoubted in the England side, has been beaten by just basic Test match cricket. No more, no less. And if yourCOre going to get beat on a fair
pitch against a team like that, then God help us when they get their
first XI back.rCY

Jonathan Agnew rCo BBC

rCLTo me, the Bazball message is dead. That does not mean the personnel
has to change or regimes need to be swept aside rCo those decisions will
come at the end of the series rCo but it means there has been a
realisation by England that the way in which they play their Test
cricket must be altered.rCY
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