England captain Ben Stokes admitted it “sucks” to lose the Ashes inside 11 days but insisted his side will respond strongly in the final two Tests of the series in Melbourne and Sydney.
After heavy defeats across the first three matches, England have already surrendered the urn, a stark contrast to the pre-series optimism that promised a tightly contested Ashes. Australia have outplayed England in all facets, imposing themselves with greater control, consistency and composure.
“We came here with a goal in mind and we haven’t been able to achieve that,” Stokes said on Sunday. “It hurts and it sucks, but we’re not going to stop.”
Signs of resistance in Adelaide
England finally showed the fight Stokes had been demanding in the third Test at Adelaide Oval, falling just 82 runs short while chasing a world-record target of 435.
Head coach Brendon McCullum praised the application shown on the final day.
“I think the boys were excellent today,” McCullum said. “They bounced off each other and tried to take the game as deep as they could. We didn’t get there, but it was a fine effort.”
The display marked a notable improvement after England’s earlier defeats — beaten inside two days in Perth and inside four in Brisbane — but it was still not enough to prevent another loss.
Consistency the key difference
Stokes pointed to Australia’s superior execution as the decisive factor separating the two teams.
“Australia have just been able to execute on a much more consistent basis than us,” he said. “With the bat, with the ball and in the field, they’ve outdone us at a higher level.”
McCullum echoed that view, suggesting Australia handled pressure moments better throughout the series.
“For us, it has never been just about scoring rates,” he said, referencing the aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy. “It’s about understanding risk, recognising opportunities and knowing when to apply pressure or absorb it.”
“I don’t think we’ve got that balance right earlier in the series. If we had, we would have been more competitive.”
Focus shifts to final two Tests
Despite the Ashes already being decided, Stokes remains determined to finish the tour on a positive note.
England will now look to regain pride and momentum in the remaining Tests in Melbourne and Sydney, with their captain confident that the lessons learned in defeat will shape a stronger, more consistent side.
