🏏 Stokes Defiant: Stays Captain Post-Ashes

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Key Takeaways

1📊 England winless in Oz: 18 matches, 14 years
2🏆 3-0 Ashes loss in record 3 Tests
3💡 Stokes: 'Absolutely' retains captaincy
4🔮 MCG Test key for pride, future stability
5💬 'Execution not good enough' - Stokes reflects

"England captain Ben Stokes says he "absolutely" has the energy to still lead the side after defeat by Australia in the third Test in Adelaide meant they lost the Ashes at the earliest opportunity."

Ben Stokes "absolutely" recommits as England captain despite a 3-0 Ashes loss in three Tests, extending winless Australian run to 18 matches and 14 years without series success. Post-Adelaide 82-run defeat, he dismissed doubts, focusing on player welfare amid Noosa scrutiny.

Succeeding the 2021-22 4-0 rout, Stokes-McCullum revived England—19 wins in 30 Tests—but Oz humbled Bazball: poor execution despite chances. This tour's endgame tests leadership mettle.

Captaincy Under Intense Pressure

Stokes's 'Nope' to quitting echoes resilience: 50+ Tests captained, win % 60+. Yet stats bite—0 Oz wins, mirroring Andrew Strauss's 2010-11 retention post-loss. Noosa video/probe added noise, but ECB clearance refocuses on cricket.

Legacy at Crossroads

Urn lost early spotlights trajectory: pride salvages needed, potential clearouts loom. Stokes's loyalty stabilizes, contrasting past hierarchies' upheavals.