England captain Ben Stokes said there were many “wrongs to put right” after his side suffered a crushing 4-1 Ashes series defeat to Australia, conceding that England were outplayed throughout the tour.
England arrived in Australia in November confident of securing their first Ashes series win Down Under since 2010–11, but those hopes quickly unravelled. Despite Australia missing key fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins at different stages, England struggled badly in unfamiliar conditions.
Heavy defeats in Perth and the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, both by eight wickets, put England under immediate pressure. A further 82-run loss in Adelaide meant the Ashes were decided within the first three Tests, with England’s ultra-aggressive “Bazball” approach exposed by Australia’s bowlers and conditions.
Speaking after England lost the fifth and final Test in Sydney by five wickets, Stokes acknowledged Australia’s superiority. He praised the hosts as an outstanding team with world-class bowlers and admitted England fell well short of their potential.
England avoided a series whitewash by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne, but Stokes said reflection would come later. He added that when England return to Test cricket in June, the team would aim to correct their mistakes and improve.
Despite the disappointing tour, there were positives for England. Injuries sidelined fast bowlers Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, but Josh Tongue impressed on his return to the side. Young batter Jacob Bethell also stood out, scoring a superb 154 in Sydney after replacing the out-of-form Ollie Pope.
Stokes praised Bethell’s composure and Tongue’s bowling, saying both performances showed promising talent coming through the ranks.
The series defeat is expected to spark scrutiny back home, with coach Brendon McCullum’s position under discussion. However, Stokes made it clear he has no intention of stepping down as captain, saying he remains fully committed to the role and confident in the group he leads.
He said the team must now demand more from themselves and place greater responsibility on every player moving forward.
