Ben Stokes has urged his teammates to read the situation and respond accordingly as England fight to keep the series alive.
After heavy defeats in the first two Tests, England’s hopes are hanging by a thread. With the Ashes on the line, victory in the next match is the only option if they are to stay in contention. Ahead of the crucial third Test in Adelaide, England captain Ben Stokes wants to see greater fight and resilience from his side.
England were blown away inside two days in the opening Test in Perth. They showed more resistance in the day-night Test in Brisbane, but ultimately suffered another heavy loss. Australia won both matches by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. England’s winless run in Australia in this format has now stretched to 17 consecutive matches.
After the defeat in Brisbane, Stokes made headlines by saying there was “no place for weak people” in his dressing room.
A week on, speaking to the media on Monday, Stokes said the team have had productive discussions during the break.
“(Fighting) what I see as fighting could be completely different to someone else,” Stokes said. “It’s about trying to fight in every situation, understanding the situation, understanding what the team needs. Looking the opposition in the eye and showing some resilience. That’s what fighting is to me.”
Stokes pointed to England’s memorable victory over India at Lord’s last July as a source of inspiration, when they secured a thrilling 22-run win at the home of cricket.
“That’s exactly what I’m thinking about,” he added. “That was a moment when we all fought, we all assessed and understood.”
“You saw how the team performed that day. We were probably in a situation where we had to be absolutely perfect to win the match, and that’s how we played. Our mindset in that specific situation gave us the best possible chance to win.”
The third Test begins at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
