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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 England lose the Ashes 4-1, including a final defeat in Sydney
- 2🏆 Australia dominate through consistent performances from Smith and Cummins
- 3💡 Stokes says England were about 100 short and gave 100 too many in Sydney
- 4🔮 Long break before June gives England a window for hard resets and changes
"Ben Stokes conceded England "did damage to our own cause" as Australia wrapped up a dominant 4-1 Ashes win built on home conditions and collective consistency"
Ben Stokes has delivered a brutally honest assessment of England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat, conceding his side "did some damage to our own cause" in a series where strong positions repeatedly slipped away.
Self-inflicted wounds compound Australia’s dominance
In the immediate aftermath of another defeat in Sydney, the England captain was generous in his praise for Australia, lauding the consistency of Steve Smith, Pat Cummins and their attack across five Tests. But between the lines, Stokes’ frustration with his own side’s execution was clear.
England’s pattern became painfully familiar: promising starts with bat and ball, followed by sessions where control evaporated. In the final Test too, Stokes felt they were at least 100 runs short with the bat and then allowed Australia about 100 too many in their first innings – a brutal double whammy at this level.
"We also have to be honest with ourselves and admit we did some damage to our own cause. We know we can play better than that."
For Indian fans used to dissecting every passage of play, those numbers tell the story: this wasn’t just about Australia being superior, it was about England repeatedly losing the key moments.
Stokes’ focus now shifts to a long gap before the next Test assignment. That breathing space might be the blessing this regime needs – time to review tactics, selection and discipline, and decide how to sharpen an approach that thrills in bursts but has just been brutally exposed over five high-stakes matches.
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