Stokes Admits England Have Become Predictable, Signals Tough Reset After Ashes Loss

After a 4-1 series defeat to Australia, England captain Ben Stokes has admitted that he has lost his edge and has become very predictable. At the SCG, England lost by a 5-wicket margin, having lost the Ashes in less than 11 days, being defeated in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.

Despite England winning the match by two days in Melbourne, Stokes said that the performance was well below the level that was required to sustain them in Australia. He quoted long stretches of uninspired play as one of the causes of the series result.

"Where we are at the moment is an interesting place for us as a team," Stokes said. "What we managed to achieve in the first two, two-and-a-half years [of his tenure] was very good, and then we wanted to build on that. We wanted to grow as a team and be even more consistent than we were in that."

Reflecting on recent struggles, he added, "If anything, we've done the opposite of that. We've started losing more. We've not won the big series that we want to be winning, and when a trend is happening on a consistent basis in the way that you don't want it to happen, that's when you need to go back and look at the drawing board, and make some adjustments that you think are going to get us back on the path of success again."

Opponents Have Found Answers to England’s Style

Stokes also conceded that England’s aggressive approach, widely labelled as Bazball though not by the team themselves, no longer catches opponents by surprise. He admitted rival teams have now developed effective responses to England’s high-tempo game.

"We are now playing against teams who have answers to the style of cricket that we have been playing over quite a long period of time now," he said. "In the first couple of years, teams found it difficult to try to come up with anything to combat the way that we played, but now teams are coming up with plans that are actually standing up to a certain style of cricket that we want to play."

He pointed to moments where England’s intent brought rewards, but said poor decisions often handed momentum back to Australia.

"You've seen in moments throughout the series that when we've been positive and we have taken a few risks, it has paid off in our favour. But there are moments in games throughout the series, and even before that where we've almost gifted the flow of the game back to the opposition by a decision that we think is the right one to take out there."

Stokes was blunt in his assessment of England’s execution across all departments.

"We've just not been able to be anywhere [near] or deliver the quality of cricket that's required to win Test matches, in particular out here in Australia. That's with bat, ball and in the field. It's just been so far below the level that this team can operate at, and it's been quite consistent throughout very Test match."

Recalibration Ahead and a Warning to Underperformers

England will not play another Test until June, when they host New Zealand, and Stokes confirmed that the next five months will be used for reflection and change. He remains committed to the captaincy and will be part of the ECB’s post-Ashes review alongside head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key.

The captain, who has not played any cricket outside Tests since August 2024 and is recovering from a groin strain suffered in Sydney, hinted that personnel changes could be on the horizon.

"How we develop is [to] be pretty honest and straightforward," said Stokes. "You don't progress unless you have some pretty honest and truthful conversations. I remember I've been young and I've had some stuff thrown at me that I didn't like, but I can always look back and go, 'I know that was told to me for the right reasons.'"

He made it clear that players unwilling to meet future standards may face consequences.

"We don't have a Test series until June… That's where it's up to me, up to Brendon [McCullum] and Rob [Key] and the guys who sit above the players to put together something that we can just go, 'Right, this is what we expect.' If people aren't willing or wanting to meet those expectations, then I have a ruthless side to me."