The decisive factor in the see-saw contest was the unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 55 runs between Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who successfully chased down a target of 281 on the final day.
Despite this defeat, it was only England’s third loss in 14 Tests since Stokes joined forces with coach Brendon McCullum. Their attacking strategy, known as ‘Bazball’ in honour of McCullum’s nickname, was implemented after a period of struggle with just one win in 17 Tests under former captain Joe Root.
From the outset at Edgbaston, England made their intentions clear, with Zak Crawley hitting the first ball of the match for four. Stokes, aiming for England’s first Ashes series win since 2015, defended his approach without hesitation.
“I am devastated we’ve lost that game, but in terms of what it’s done for the series, it’s hard to not be too disappointed because it has set up a great series,” Stokes expressed.
“It’s not a psychological blow at all. We’ve lost, but if you look at the way we’ve played, compared to how the last few Ashes series have gone, it proves what we’re capable of doing against Australia,” he further emphasised.
Stokes highlighted the team’s resilience and determination, stating, “Losing sucks, but the way we applied ourselves literally from ball one proves we’re able to stand up to Australia… We’ve got four games left, and that’s what we’re going to be concentrating on.”
Stokes made a bold move by declaring England’s first innings at 393/-8 on the opening day, following captain Root’s first Ashes century in eight years. Although England had opportunities to win, missed chances and a lack of substantial contributions in the second innings prevented them from securing victory.
Defending his decision, Stokes stated, “I’m a captain who saw it as an opportunity to pounce on Australia. The way in which we played and took Australia on actually allowed us to be able to do that.”
Reflecting on the declaration, Stokes added, “If we didn’t declare, would we have got that excitement like we did at the end? I’m not 100 percent sure, but I’m not going to be looking back at this game as ‘what ifs.’ We just didn’t manage to get over the line.”
Despite the disappointment of the defeat, Stokes’s unwavering confidence and the team’s fearless approach provide hope for England’s prospects in the upcoming Ashes series.
(With inputs from AFP)
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