England captain Ben Stokes has insisted that his team has put the disappointing Perth defeat behind them as they prepare for the second Ashes Test — a high-pressure pink-ball match at the Gabba in Brisbane. Stokes said the squad has already addressed what went wrong in the opening Test and is now completely focused on producing a stronger performance.
England Reflect on Perth Defeat, Ready to Reset
Australia took a 1-0 lead in the five-Test Ashes series after a chaotic two-day match in Perth, where batting collapses and Travis Head’s brilliant 123 powered the hosts to an eight-wicket victory. England’s collapse from a winning position drew sharp criticism from former players, with some calling the performance “brainless” and “arrogant.”
Stokes, however, said the team has already done the necessary reflection.
“We’ve talked about it and we’ve moved on,” he said. “We had some really good conversations within the group.”
He acknowledged Head’s outstanding innings but rejected the notion that it alone decided the match.
“Travis played an amazing knock — no hiding away from that — but that’s not the overriding reason we didn’t get the result.”
Highlighting the Positives From the First Test
Despite the defeat, Stokes said England had “amazing moments” throughout the match, especially with the ball in the first innings, and they posted a total they believed was defendable.
“But we all know there were moments where we could have performed better and built an even bigger advantage,” he added.
“The important thing is to understand that and learn from it — both as individuals and as a team.”
England Prepare for Pink-Ball Test at the Gabba
The focus now shifts to the day-night Test at the Gabba, a venue where Australia have dominated under lights, winning 13 of their 14 pink-ball Tests.
Despite the importance of adapting to pink-ball conditions, England opted not to send any frontline players for the day-night practice match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. The decision sparked criticism from former captain Michael Vaughan, who labelled it “amateurish.”
Stokes Defends Skipping Canberra Tour Game
Stokes said he understood where the criticism came from but defended the move, explaining that the conditions in Canberra would not have been relevant to what England will face in Brisbane.
“The match is in Canberra — a completely different state,” he said. “The conditions would be nothing like what we’ll get at the Gabba.”
He added that England preferred controlled training sessions in Brisbane rather than a practice game in dissimilar conditions.
“We consider everything — the pros and the cons — and choose what best prepares us. We know we’re doing everything we can to be ready for this game.”
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