England captain Ben Stokes looked angry as he pondered on yet another game where his team failed in crucial situations, letting Australia take charge whenever the pressure increased, while Australia celebrated another brilliant performance.
In the second Test in Brisbane, England displayed glimpses of promise but once again found it difficult to maintain pressure as the match got closer. They fell to eighth place in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 standings as a result of the loss. England has now lost 15 and drawn two of their last 17 Test matches in Australia since their fifth Test triumph in the 2010–11 Ashes series.
“Really disappointing. When the game is on the line, a lot of it boils down to not being able to handle the pressure of this game and this format. We’ve been able to regain some control of the game in little bursts, but then we’ve let it slip away,” Stokes stated during the post-game press conference.
It’s really, really unfortunate that we did that again here this week, especially considering the skill of the players in that dressing room. We must consider such moments more carefully and deeply, consider our mental preparation for them, and generally put up a little more of a fight when necessary,” he continued.
Despite Joe Root’s valiant, undefeated 138 in the opening innings, which propelled England to 334, Australia managed to secure a commanding 177-run advantage, with five of their hitters scoring fifty or more. Because Ben Stokes (3-113), Gus Atkinson (1-114), and Brydon Carse (4-152) all had costly spells, England’s bowlers were unable to match the hosts’ domination.
“As we sit there, we see what is happening in front of us, what Australia is trying to throw at us, and what strategies they are attempting to implement. As players, it is therefore our responsibility to be able to go out there with a strategy and know how to neutralise the threat. Right now, it seems like a recurring pattern to me that Australia consistently outperforms us when the game is under duress,” Stokes said.
“They think weak guys don’t belong in Australia. Although we’re not weak, we must find a solution because we are currently behind two goals, have three games left, and must resolve the situation,” he continued.
The five dropped catches in the first innings, where Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Brydon Carse, and Root all missed chances to put pressure on the hosts, were another significant contributing element to England’s loss.
“Catches cannot be dropped. Every time, they return to buy you. And I believe that was evident there. We shouldn’t have been batting last night if we could have maintained our chances. Nobody has the means to do such things. Incapable of dropping catches. Stokes stated on TNT Sport that “no one means to not bowl in an area where you set plans to, but yeah, those kinds of things just can’t happen at this level.”
Stokes acknowledged that both the batters and bowlers were unable to consistently carry out the necessary plans on a Gabba surface that required patience and discipline, adding that England’s problems extended beyond the pressure moments.
“You may accept not being able to perform skill since there is no way to deviate from the plan we are attempting to accomplish. We understood exactly how to bowl on that wicket, but we were unable to do it long enough to put pressure on the Australian hitters.
And it was clear from the speed and ease with which Australia scored against us,” Stokes remarked.
“When we first took the ball, I believe Jofra and Gus set the tone really well. However, Brydon and I immediately let the game slip away from us. simply failing to perform as required, both with the ball and when batting. I’ll be keeping some of our chats in the dressing room,” he continued.
During his team’s second-inning collapse, the England captain was the last man standing, scoring a crucial fifty to keep them in the game. Australia easily won by eight wickets, chasing down 65 in ten overs, despite his best efforts. On Wednesday, December 17, the third Ashes Test will begin in Adelaide.
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