England captain Ben Stokes has issued a stern message to his squad after another heavy defeat to Australia left their Ashes hopes hanging by a thread, declaring that the national team is “not a place for weak men.”
After back-to-back eight-wicket losses in Perth and Brisbane, England is 0–2 down in the five-match series and facing mounting criticism at home and abroad. Stokes now wants to see greater mental resilience from his players heading into the decisive final three Tests.
“There is a saying we use a lot here, Australia is not for weak men,” Stokes told the BBC.
“A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either.”
Ben Stokes criticised England for their weak mentality
Stokes highlighted England’s failure to respond under pressure, contrasting it with Australia’s ability to seize decisive moments.
“When we are on top, we are great. When the game is neck and neck, we aren’t coming out on top often enough,” he said.
The Australian press has been ruthless, labelling England “humiliated,” “humbled,” and attacking the Bazball philosophy championed by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott was equally scathing, describing the Brisbane performance as “a horror show” filled with wayward bowling, poor batting choices and dropped catches.
“They couldn’t win an egg cup, let alone the Ashes urn,” Boycott wrote.
England now have more than a week to regroup before the third Test in Adelaide on December 17, where Australia are likely to regain captain Pat Cummins. The team, however, came under scrutiny over plans for a four-day beach break in Noosa following two crushing defeats.
Stokes defended the trip, insisting players needed to reset mentally. “As physical as cricket is, the mental side is huge. Sometimes you need to step away, breathe and reset.”
Adding fuel to the controversy, McCullum suggested the team may have over-trained ahead of Brisbane, opting for intense net sessions instead of a pink-ball tour match.
His comments drew swift backlash online, with Kevin Pietersen reacting: “Crikey, Baz.”
Darren Gough added bluntly: “Over-prepared my arse.”
With England facing a must-win situation, the pressure to respond is greater than ever.
