Ashes: England seek Mental Reset as Stokes Challenges Team Mentality
Adelaide, Australia – England captain Ben Stokes has questioned his team’s mentality as thay attempt to claw back into the Ashes series, while head coach Brendon McCullum suggested the squad may have overtrained in the lead-up to the first two Tests.Despite being 2-0 down, Stokes remains confident England can still win the series for the first time as 1986-87.
The comments come as England prepare for the third Test in Adelaide, beginning on Wednesday, December 17th (23:30 GMT, December 16th local time). The team is currently enjoying a pre-planned break in Noosa, designed to alleviate pressure and refocus ahead of the crucial match. They will fly to Adelaide on Saturday and resume training on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
“we have been here for five weeks and it’s been pretty full-on on the field, off the field, and as physical as this game is, a huge part of it is indeed the mental side,” Stokes said, referencing his own experience taking a break from the game for mental health reasons in 2021. “I know what the game can do to you when the game is not feeling right or going well. Trust me when I say it is indeed so critically importent for teams, when they do get an occasion or an opportunity to be able to go away as a team – and almost put the pressures of this aside for a couple of days.”
Stokes emphasized that the team break isn’t about ignoring the situation. “That doesn’t mean everything disappears and we don’t speak about what is going on, because those conversations are constantly happening.” He also stated his intention to have frank discussions with his players, believing they have the capacity to turn the series around.
“There is a saying that we have said a lot here - Australia is not for weak men,” Stokes added. “A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either. We need to dig deep, I need to dig deep.”
McCullum’s assessment suggests a possible contributing factor to England’s struggles. While details were not specified, the coach implied the intensity of training may have been detrimental. The break in Noosa is therefore intended to provide both physical and mental respite before the team attempts to reignite thier campaign in Adelaide.
