'Very Disappointing': England Captain Ben Stokes Sums Up Crushing Loss To Australia In Pink Ball Test

Australia handed England a crushing loss at The Gabba to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Ashes. Despite Joe Root's fighting century in the 1st innings, the visitors visibly surrendered to the Australian bowling lineup across both innings in Brisbane.

Ben Stokes Opens Up After Crushing Loss At The Gabba

England posted their highest score on Australian soil since 2018, courtesy of a Joe Root masterclass. But that didn't deter the Australians from putting up their best effort throughout the match. England will have a mountain to climb as they are in contention for a 5-0 whitewash.

Stokes insisted it is very frustrating to lose, especially after having so many talented players in the dressing room.

As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, “Very disappointing. A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line. In small passages, we've been able to bring the game back into some kind of control and then we've let us slip away. We've done that again here this week, and it's very, very disappointing, in particular, because of the ability of the players that we have in that dressing room."

Australia Thrashed England By Eight Wickets

Michael Neser justified his selection with a superb five-wicket haul, which further overshadowed Joe Root’s maiden Ashes century on Australian soil in Brisbane. Root’s 40th Test hundred revived England, helping them avoid deeper trouble and guiding the visitors to 334 in their first innings. However, Mitchell Starc stole the spotlight once again, producing a fiery six-wicket spell before blasting a commanding 77 runs with the bat — an all-round effort that ultimately proved decisive.

England, meanwhile, failed to correct their earlier mistakes and crumbled in the 2nd innings against the relentless Australian attack. A gritty stand between Ben Stokes and Will Jacks offered a glimmer of hope, but a stunning catch from Steve Smith extinguished any lingering chance. Australia did lose Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in their chase, yet they comfortably reached the target to seal the contest.

Also Read: WATCH| Jofra Archer, Steve Smith's Heated Exchange Steals Spotlight As Australia Thrash England At Gabba