Stokes Demands ‘Dog’ Mentality to Save Ashes Series

England captain Ben Stokes has called for his team to show raw fight and aggression to salvage the Ashes series. Trailing Australia 2-0 after two eight-wicket losses, England faces a must-win third Test. Stokes emphasized a dog mentality, urging his players to unleash an inner toughness on the field.

England Seeks Urgency After Two Losses

England’s Ashes campaign is in deep trouble, with the team down 2-0 to Australia in the 2025-26 series. Both opening Tests concluded with eight-wicket defeats for England. This comes ahead of the critical third Test in Adelaide, set to start on Wednesday.

Stakes Are High for Decisive Third Test

The upcoming match in Adelaide is now a do-or-die fixture for England. A loss would mean surrendering the Ashes urn to Australia. England made one change to its starting XI, bringing in fast bowler Josh Tongue to replace Gus Atkinson, as reported by ESPN. Despite a pitch expected to favor spin, England opted not to include Shoaib Bashir in the XI.

Batting Struggles Define England’s Start

England’s top seven batsmen, including Stokes himself, have struggled to score consistently. Stokes averaged under 30 across his four innings in the series so far. Only his second-innings half-century in Brisbane offered significant resistance. In the second Test, England resumed a seventh-wicket stand that yielded 96 runs from 221 deliveries before Australia secured the win. Will Jacks scored 19 in the first innings, contributing to a 40-run partnership with Joe Root. He added 41 runs alongside Stokes in the second innings, forcing Australia to bat again to chase 65 for victory.

Stokes Calls for Greater Fight

Ben Stokes directly challenged his team to display more aggression and mental fortitude. He pointed to his own resistance and Jofra Archer’s fastest spells as examples of the required mindset. Stokes said he could have “nicked off first ball” in Brisbane but chose to bat with a different mentality, describing this as true fight, according to ESPN. This call for fight echoes Jofra Archer’s own “lost cause” response in Brisbane, where Archer delivered one of his fastest spells for England. Stokes has lit a “fire under his charges” for what he considers the “biggest match of his tenure,” emphasizing resistance similar to the Jacks partnership.

“I could have gone out there on that morning session in Brisbane and nicked off first ball, but going out there with that mentality and that mindset is what fight is to me.”

Stokes spoke to ESPN, outlining his expectation for the team. He also highlighted Jofra Archer’s intense bowling during a previous match, stating he asked Archer “to really turn it on.”

“That was one of those moments when I asked him to really turn it on… a really, really important moment for us in the series.”

Stokes recounted this instruction for Archer’s performance, which he felt was unfairly criticized at the time as a “lost cause” despite his high speeds. Head coach Brendon McCullum publicly backed the faltering top seven over the weekend, reaffirming confidence in the batting group.

What’s Next for England

The third Ashes Test begins Wednesday in Adelaide. England needs a win to keep their hopes of reclaiming the Ashes alive. Josh Tongue will join the bowling attack, likely partnering Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse. Will Jacks retains his primary spin option role for England, despite Shoaib Bashir’s omission for this Test. Stokes has reaffirmed Bashir’s status, even after his recent form of 2/151 against the Lions and 0/115 against Australia A, as noted in a recent report. Stokes urged the entire batting group, including himself, to correct their mistakes in this pivotal match.

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