England captain Ben Stokes described the crushing Ashes series loss to Australia as emotionally painful but pledged to continue leading the team through the remaining matches. The tourists succumbed to an 82-run defeat in Adelaide on Sunday, handing Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series.
"That dream we came here with is now over, which hurts and sucks," Stokes said at the post-match presentation. "Everyone's emotional, but we must shift focus to the final two Tests."
The loss extends England's dismal record in Australia to 18 winless Tests since their 2010-11 triumph, with 16 defeats in that span. Stokes faces the challenge of preventing another 5-0 whitewash, reminiscent of England's 2006-07 and 2013-14 tours.
Stokes Finds Positives in Defeat
Despite the disappointing result, the England captain highlighted encouraging performances from his squad. Jofra Archer's first five-wicket haul since 2019 and a gritty 91-run partnership between Jamie Smith and Will Jacks offered glimpses of resistance.
"I saw the fight I asked for this week," Stokes emphasized. "The lower-order showed real courage. While Australia executed better consistently, we can build on these positives."
Looking Ahead
England now prepare for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne starting December 26, followed by the series finale in Sydney on January 4. Stokes vowed his team wouldn't surrender: "We'll give absolutely everything. This series isn't over for us."
Current Ashes standings:
• 1st Test (Perth): Australia won by 8 wickets
• 2nd Test (Brisbane): Australia won by 8 wickets
• 3rd Test (Adelaide): Australia won by 82 runs
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