"Don’t want to be a part of a team that just sweeps things under the carpet" - England all-rounder Ben Stokes
England all-rounder Ben Stokes spoke of Joe Root's frustration and revealed they've had the right kind of conservation after two heavy losses. Stokes admitted they have been nowhere near good in the first two Ashes Tests and have a simple equation ahead of them in Melbourne.
Root and co. have to achieve what no other England team has before in the Ashes - winning the series after being 0-2 down. The tourists last held the urn in 2015 and must emerge victorious in the remaining three games. However, they look poised for another deflating Ashes tour.
A brave fight on the final day but Australia win the second Test to take a 2-0 series lead.
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Writing in his column for the Daily Mirror, Ben Stokes stated they could feel Joe Root's anger after losing the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. He feels proud to be a part of a culture where they speak to each other candidly to better themselves, writing:
"You can tell how frustrated Joe Root was after the last defeat and we all felt it. But I don’t want to be a part of a team that just sweeps things under the carpet and pretends like everything is ok when it’s not."
Stokes added:
"I want to be part of a dressing room where we can have these chats when necessary and tell each other exactly what we think and where we think we can improve. It is not a blame game. It is done for the right reasons, to try and help the team get better and start winning."
Stokes' own performances haven't touched the usual standards in the first two Tests. The 30-year old has a high score of 34 in four innings and has taken just three wickets at 67.33. Having returned to professional cricket for the first time since August, he has looked a lot rusty.
"There have been too many mistakes made by too many players" - Ben Stokes on England's struggles in the Ashes
Stokes further claimed that their unforced and recurring errors have now put England under pressure.
"There have been too many mistakes made by too many players and that is why we are where we are. And the mistakes have been repeated, which is why we had a frank and open discussion as a group after the Adelaide Test."
The ace all-rounder has, however, backed the Three Lions' ability to deliver a better performance.
"We have the ability to play better, we have the players to produce better, but there’s no point stroking our chins and thinking about it, we just have to do it."
The third Ashes Test begins on the 26th of December in Melbourne. England are likely to make four changes to their XI, bringing in Zak Crawley, Jack Leach, Mark Wood and Jonny Bairstow.
England captain Joe Root has backed himself to "bang out a hundred" as he plots an #Ashes fightback in the Boxing Day Test
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