England captain Ben Stokes was criticized after England’s Ashes defeat when he gave a blunt and sarcastic response about what he could have done differently in the first three Tests. The veteran all-rounder joked about changing the tosses and the comment did not go down well with fans and cricket experts.
England suffered an 82-run defeat in the third Test in Adelaide, conceding a 0-3 series loss to Australia. They arrived in Australia with confidence and high expectations, but were outplayed throughout the series. As in the first two games, England missed crucial moments and failed to convert opportunities into pressure on the hosts.
The long Australian struggle in England continues as the axis slides away
England suffered their 16th defeat in the last 18 Tests on Australian soil. They have not won a Test in Australia since the 2010-11 Ashes and have not held the Ashes urn since their home series victory in 2015.
The tour started promisingly in Perth, but England failed to build on a strong opening day and slid to heavy defeats in the first two Tests. They showed more fight in Adelaide with a brave effort in the final innings, but a big gap in the first innings once again left them with too much to do.
With the series already over, England are now playing proudly in the final two matches. They will focus on avoiding another whitewash. The Boxing Day Test between England and Australia will be played on December 26 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
Called main first two coin tosses – Ben Stokes
When asked if he would change anything about England’s first three Tests, Ben Stokes gave an answer that focused solely on the coin toss. It is worth noting that England lost the first two matches despite winning the tosses.
“Was the first to call two heads (coin tosses) and won,” said Ben Stokes.
“Was the first to call two heads (coin tosses) and won.”
🗣️ Ben Stokes on if there’s anything he would have done differently in the first three games | #Ash pic.twitter.com/67c948z8xx
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 21, 2025
Ben Stokes’ England fall short in Adelaide despite late resistance in the chase
England’s chase ended on the final day in Adelaide when they were bowled out for 352 while trying to reach a difficult target of 435. Jamie Smith, Will Jacks and Brydon Carse showed some fight with the bat, but it wasn’t enough to save the match.
England’s Bazball approach puts pressure on the opposition, but it also means that England’s bowlers get very little time to rest between innings. The top flight has been struggling, with the likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer spending extra time batting.
Archer bowled well in the first innings and took five wickets. However, later he bowled fewer overs and didn’t look as threatening. Stokes’ situation is even more worrying as his fitness is now in question.
With another Test coming up in a week, soon to be followed by the New Year’s Test in Sydney, England are concerned whether Stokes will be fit enough to continue in the series.
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