England captain Ben Stokes has urged his side to “show a bit of dog” as they prepare for a must-win third Ashes Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, with the five-match series hanging delicately in the balance. Trailing 0-2 after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England face a familiar yet daunting challenge, one that Stokes believes his team is mentally equipped to handle.

Drawing parallels with the 2023 Ashes in England, where his side bounced back from a similar deficit, Stokes insisted that the clarity of the task remains unchanged. “We’ve been in this position before,” he said on the eve of the Test. “Everyone knows what needs to happen. If anything, it makes things simpler and clearer.”

Rather than viewing the situation as pressure-filled, Stokes believes the deficit has sharpened England’s focus. He dismissed any suggestion that the players now owe him or the management a response for their backing, stressing trust over obligation. “These are the moments where the players you back are trusted to deliver,” he said. “I would never say you owe me. Go out, back yourself, and do what needs to be done.”

Watch the video:

If any team can do it, this team can.

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 16, 2025

Backing you to have a BIG week, JT! 👊🔥

Hear from Ben Stokes on our preparation, fight, belief, the Oval pitch and much more ahead of the 3rd Test 👇

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 16, 2025

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Show a bit of dog Stokes challenges England ahead of Adelaide Test

Stokes pointed to England’s Lord’s Test win against India earlier this year as an example of how intensity and confrontation can spark a response. “That’s fight to me,” he explained. “Looking your opposition in the eye and showing a bit of dog gives you the best chance.”

England have made just one change for Adelaide, recalling Josh Tongue in place of Gus Atkinson, while sticking with Will Jacks as the spinning all-round option ahead of Shoaib Bashir. Despite questions around selection, Stokes made it clear that mindset matters more than personnel. 

“We’ve had proper, meaningful conversations,” he said. “All the talking is done now. What matters is what gets shown on the field.” With England winless in Australia for 15 years and the series on the line, Stokes’ message is clear: resilience, fight, and belief must now translate into performance.

After being 2-0 down post the first couple of Tests of the Ashes 2025/26 in Perth and Brisbane, England find themselves under tremendous pressure to turn the tables in the make-or-break third Test at the Adelaide Oval, which begins on December 17. They have drafted in Josh Tongue but have decided to go against Shoaib Bashir for the most spin-friendly surface. 

The head coach, Brendon McCullum, backed their struggling top seven on the weekend as captain Ben Stokes decided to make one solitary change with Gus Atkinson making way. The Surrey pacer had a difficult trip with an average of 78.66, which is the worst of the England bowlers with just three wickets from 54 overs- the first of which came in his 41st over of the series.

See Also: “Trust me…”- Abhishek Sharma reacts to Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill’s struggle in recent T20Is

In Tongue, England have opted for a wicket-taking option rather than the control they get from Matthew Potts. The seamer will earn his seventh Test cap since debuting in the 2023 home season, with 31 dismissals at an average of 30.

England make one change ahead of Ashes 2025/26 Test in Adelaide

Tongue’s first meeting with Australia came at Lord’s during the last Ashes when he took five wickets in the match, including Steve Smith twice. The 28-year-old has dismissed Smith four times in all, once for Worcestershire in the 2023 County Championship when the batter was playing for Sussex, besides playing him in this year’s The Hundred.

Ollie Pope, despite a struggling first four innings down under, has retained his place. It was a surprising factor that the management didn’t pick Bashir in the eleven, with Australia set to welcome their veteran spinner, Nathan Lyon. They built Bashir for this specific tour for the last two years, and still decided to leave him out in the crunch game.

That means Will Jacks will remain the top spin option for the visitors. He was tidy for his 11.3 overs in Brisbane’s pink-ball Test, returning with 1/34. Joe Root can also contribute a few overs by rotating his arm.

England’s playing XI for Ashes 2025/26 Test in Adelaide

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk..), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.

The buildup to the IPL 2026 Mini Auction has intensified, and one storyline has captured the attention of fans and scouts alike: the confirmed absence of three prominent England cricketers. Their exclusion is not due to form, injury, or lack of franchise interest; instead, it stems directly from the strict auction regulations enforced by the BCCI. As teams prepare to engage in another high-stakes bidding war, these absences are already reshaping auction-room strategies.

Ben Stokes: A Decision That Echoes Forward

Ben Stokes' pathway into the IPL 2026 auction was shut the moment he chose not to register for the IPL 2025 mega auction. Under BCCI rules, a player who skips the mega auction cannot re-enter during the following mini auction cycle. Stokes made his decision during a period focused on workload management and Test commitments, and that choice now legally bars him from the 2026 mini auction.

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Harry Brook: Late Withdrawal Leads to Automatic Block

Harry Brook’s case differs but ultimately leads to the same outcome. After withdrawing from IPL 2025 shortly before the season for personal reasons, he was deemed unavailable for the remainder of the cycle. According to BCCI regulations, a player who pulls out after commitment triggers an automatic ineligibility for the next mini auction. Brook, once expected to be among the hottest overseas picks, will not feature this year.

Jason Roy: Consecutive Withdrawals Close the Door

Jason Roy’s absence results from back-to-back withdrawals. After opting out of IPL 2024 and failing to register for the 2025 mega auction, Roy effectively exited the entire cycle. Under the rules, players who skip a full mega-auction window cannot re-enter mid-cycle, making Roy ineligible as well.

With the auction scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, and 77 slots open across 10 teams, the absence of these three marquee England players significantly alters the overseas landscape. Franchises now shift focus toward emerging international talents, associate-nation cricketers, and in-form domestic performers. Their absence is expected to increase competition for the remaining high-impact all-rounders and top-order hitters always premium categories in IPL bidding.

On Day 2 of the ongoing second match of the Ashes 2025-26, Ben Stokes took pickle juice during a break. Cricketers used to take water or energy drinks during a match. But why did Stokes take pickle juice during the match at The Gabba? What are the benefits of having pickle juice? Let's know about it all.

Benefits of Pickle Juice:

This fluid can be very beneficial for athletes and players, especially those who have to put a lot of effort into their bodies and muscles. For example, cricketers have to spend a lot of time on the field, whether they are batters, bowlers or fielders. Throughout the match, they have to run a lot across the field of pitch. For which, viewers often see cricketers struggling with muscle cramp. Pickle juice can help to fight against muscle cramps.

Key Benefits of Pickle Juice:

1. Electrolyte Replenishment & Hydration

2. Muscle Cramp Relief

3. Blood Sugar Management

4. Antioxidants

In the video, we can see that Stokes took the fluid after his 17th over spell. The Gabba Test is a day-night test, a different kind of hurdle for cricketers mentally and physically. Parallay, Stokes had to field and bowl for 17 overs, which was enough for a player to get exhausted. Relentless running can result in dehydration and muscle cramps. So, it is understandable why, during the match, he consumed the liquid.

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Watch the video when Ben Stokes took pickle juice

Ben Stokes reacting to the pickle juice treatment for his cramp 😂 🥴

Watch #TheAshes LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ 📺 pic.twitter.com/24gM7at4jn

— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 5, 2025

But it is necessary to remember that without taking advice from an expert, consuming pickle juice can be harmful for a body, as it contains a high amount of sodium.

At the end of Day 2, Australia is leading by 44 runs. England scored 334 runs in their first innings with the help of Joe Root's century. On the second day of the pink ball test, England had a poor day in fielding. Australia is currently at 378 runs for 6 wickets, with Alex Carey and Michael Neser at the crease.

English Test captain Ben Stokes has urged critics not to describe England’s series-opening performance in the ongoing Ashes as “arrogant”. England suffered an eight-wicket defeat to Australia in the first Test of the five-match series in Perth. Stokes stated that although the result was disappointing, England were “great” during certain phases of the match.

He added that he had no issue with people criticising the team’s execution but felt the label “arrogant” was unfair. Stokes emphasized that the team did not have the performance they wanted but played well in important moments during the Test.

"Look, you can call us rubbish, call us whatever you want. We didn't have the Test match that we wanted to. We were great in passages of that game, but I think 'arrogant' might be a little bit too far. But that's okay. We'll take the rough with the smooth. I'd rather words like 'rubbish', but 'arrogant', I'm not so sure about that," stated Stokes, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Stokes Says Fans Are Disappointed but England Still Chasing Ashes Glory

Stokes acknowledged the disappointment that English fans must be feeling after the heavy defeat. However, he remained firm that the team’s primary goal remains unchanged to win the Ashes series. He reminded that it is a five-match contest and England still have four Tests left to turn things around.

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"We know that there'll be a lot of disappointed fans in England after that first defeat. But it's a five-game series, we've got four games to go, we've lost the first one - we're absolutely desperate to come home with that goal from before we even started the series, which is to win the Ashes," concluded Stokes. England posted 172 and 164 in the two innings, failing to capitalise on their 40-run first-innings lead. Australia cruised to victory thanks to a Travis Head century and a 10-wicket match haul from Mitchell Starc. England’s next challenge will be the pink-ball second Test starting December 4 in Brisbane.

England captain Ben Stokes conceded that his side were left completely “shellshocked” by Travis Head’s breathtaking knock, which powered Australia to a dominant eight-wicket victory in the opening Ashes Test in Perth. The match finished inside two days, as Australia rose above the early chaos and seized control with ruthless efficiency.

Boland’s burst and Head’s fireworks leave England stunned

England looked well placed at lunch on Day 2, having reached 65 for 1 with a lead approaching 100 runs. But their promising position evaporated within minutes. A dramatic collapse, four wickets tumbling for just 11 runs, handed Australia all the momentum. Scott Boland’s sharp burst ignited the turnaround, and although England’s lower-order fought to post 205, it was nowhere near enough once Head walked out.

With Usman Khawaja unavailable, the decision to promote Head to the top proved a masterstroke. The left-hander launched a fierce counter-attack, smashing 123 off just 83 balls in an innings packed with clean hitting and fearless intent. He single-handedly dismantled England’s plans and steered Australia to the target in only 28.2 overs.

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Speaking after the defeat, Stokes openly praised Australia’s match-winner. “That innings from Travis Head was pretty phenomenal,” he said. “It’s still very raw, but that knock really took the wind out of us. We tried different plans, but when someone’s going that hard, it’s tough to stop.”

England captain calls for quick reset ahead of crucial Brisbane Test

While critics pointed to England’s aggressive batting as a factor in their collapse, Stokes insisted the approach wasn’t the problem, execution was. “The players who took the game on found success,” he said. “Occupying the crease didn’t seem to work on this surface. On wickets like this, you never feel you have enough runs.”

Despite the disappointment, Stokes highlighted the positive impact of England’s five-man pace attack, which impressed during Australia’s first innings on a lively pitch that saw 19 wickets fall on Day 1. With a long break before the day-night Test in Brisbane starting December 4, England aim to regroup quickly.

“It hurts, obviously,” Stokes admitted. “But we’ve got four games left. We’ll let this sink in and then move on, we’ve got to hit the ground running in Brisbane.”

The former England captain, Michael Vaughan, has ripped apart the Ben Stokes-led side’s batting during the opening Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth. In the first innings, they were bundled out for 172 runs in just 32.5 overs, with Harry Brook being the only half-century in the department. 

Vaughan reckoned that the approach from the tourists in this game was not up to the mark as he lamented a few specific shots from the England batters against the left-arm Australia pacer, Mitchell Starc, who enjoyed 10 wickets in the two-day Test match.

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“And I am looking at this England team, thinking, why did you play so many shots to a world-class bowler like Mitchell Starc. He got 10 wickets. But there were lots of mistakes from the batters. And we have been telling it for a long time that to win in Australia, you can’t play one expensive way down under. This has never been done before for a reason.” Vaughan expressed on Fox Cricket’s commentary.

Watch: Michael Vaughan suggests England learn after Ashes 2025/26 Perth defeat

Vaughan also felt that this only Bazball way of batting won’t be able to push England to win in Australia. Down under, they have now lost 14 of their previous 16 Test matches as the former Ashes-winning leader wanted this side to learn from their mistakes this week.

 

 

 

 

 

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“This England side needs to learn, and that too very quickly. You've got to go up and down through gears. You can’t go for those big drives, especially at the start of their innings. If England continues to play this aggressively, they will be great entertainers. Let’s be honest- we have all been entertained greatly in these two days. But they are not going to win.” The former Yorkshire batter added.

“To bat for 67 overs in a Test match is not good enough. I just worry that on this side, they have enough competitors from 1 to 11 in a game. But you just can’t be competitive without brains. You can’t just play one way. They have to learn from the mistakes.” Michael Vaughan concluded.

Ten-wicket haul for Mitchell Starc. He completed his 10-wicket figure in the ongoing 1st Test of The Ashes 2025-26 at the Optus Stadium in Perth by dismissing England skipper Ben Stokes in the second innings.

Starc took 3 wickets in the second innings to go with the first innings' 7-wicket figure. Without the services of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia's bowling attack looked like a well-oiled machine mostly because of Mitchell Starc. In the second phase of the match, the pacer took the scalps of Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Stokes. In the first phase, Starc got the wickets of Crawley, Ben Duckett, Root, Stokes, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, and Mark Wood. The pitch of the Optus Stadium makes it more spicy.

None of the teams, despite having good batting power on paper, were not able to get near the 200-run mark. England went to bat first and registered 172 runs. The run on the scoreboard might have looked easy to overtake, but in reality, fiery spells from Jofra Archer and Mark Wood set the stage to make them believe they can protect their first-innings run.

Read More: Watch: Jasprit Bumrah clean bowled Aiden Markram in IND vs SA 2nd Test in Guwahati

Mitchell Starc dismissed Ben Stokes and completed 10-wicket figure

Archer and Brydon Carse made the Australian top order shrink quickly, and then it was the moment for Stokes, who took 5 wickets. Australia bundled for only 132 in their first innings. In the second innings, England came to bat with a narrow lead on hand. Duckett and Ollie Pope were batting well. Starc and, surprisingly, Scott Boland cut their momentum short. Starc took 3, and Boland took 4. Debutant pacer Brendan Doggett also snatched 3 wickets in the process.

10 wickets for the match!

Magnificent, Mitch Starc.#Ashes | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/mMznMiumtS

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025

England, in their second innings, collected only 164; Australia has to score 205 runs to win the opening match of The Ashes 2025-26. 

At the end of the day, it was the England cricket supporters who were louder than the Australian cricket supporters at the Optus Stadium in Perth. After the Stumps on Day 1 of the first Test of The Ashes 2025-26, England is leading by 49 runs, after scoring only 172 in the first innings. Australia, the home team, lost 9 batters for 123 runs. Nathan Lyon and Brendan Doggett will start Day 2 as the last wicket batters for the Aussies. Ben Stokes, team England captain, took 5 wickets in the process.

During the match, when the visiting side was positioning themselves ahead of their opposition side, Barmy Army, a group of England team supporters, got their moment to sledge the home team captain, Steve Smith. In the absence of Pat Cummins, who is out from action due to injury, Smith is the stand-in captain of Australia.

As Australia was going into huge trouble, members of the Barmy Army started to recite their infamous chant, "We saw you cry on the telly. Cry on the telly." Whenever Smith and the Australian team felt in a problematic situation against England, the Barmy Army started to chant those words to put more pressure on the opposition team, which is Australia. 

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Barmy Army sledge Steve Smith

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It was an out-and-out entertaining day of cricket. Mitchell Starc started to clinch wickets from the beginning of the match and concluded his bowling figure as 12.5-4-58-7; England bundled for 172 in 32.5 overs. Target was easy on paper, but the pacers of England left the Australian batting line-up suffocating for some fresh air.

Jofra Archer started the carnage by taking wickets of the openers, then it was Ben Stokes who claimed 5 wickets to clinch half of the opposition batting order. Brydon Carse also struck twice. Australia lost 9 wickets for 123, with Steve Smith gone for 17 off 49. 

A good day for Mitchell Starc and Team Australia, and a magical day for captain Ben Stokes and the England cricket team on Friday (November 21) at the Optus Stadium in Perth. It was a wicket-taking feast on the 1st day of the first Test match of The Ashes 2025-26. England all out for 172, Australia down by 9 men for only 123 runs. 19 wickets went down on a single day. All 19 wickets were taken by the pacers. 

England's first innings: 

It was a bright day at Perth, near the Swan River. A good number of crowds were there in the stadium to watch one of the greatest rivalries in the entire sport live from the gallery. In the very first over of the match, England lost their first wicket. Mitchell Starc got his first in the morning, and Zak Crawley headed back to the pavilion. 

Australia is forced to play the opening match of the innings without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, two ace pacers out of the match because of injury concerns. All eyes were then on Mitchell Starc, the most experienced pacer in the line-up, which proved enough to take down the English playing XI. 

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The partnership of Ollie Pope (46) and Harry Brook (52) was the only exceptional case when the England batting was looking more improved and promising. Together they added fifty-plus runs on the scoreboard. Jamie Smith (33) played an entertaining innings as well.

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, and Mark Wood are a list of batters who lost their scalps against a steaming Mitchell Starc. Starc got these wickets by using the line and length properly, accompanied by swing. 12.5-4-58-7 was the bowling figure of Starc. Debutant pacer Brendan Doggett claimed 2 wickets, and Cameron Green claimed one wicket.

First innings of Australia:

England starts from where Australia left. Jofta Archer with his redeemed form was absolutely on point. Another debutant from the Aussie side, opener Jake Weatherald departed cheaply. The other opener, experienced Marnus Labuschagne, also was not able to maintain his defense long enough against Archer. Archer got both of the openers. But it was Ben Stokes who turned into the wrecker-in-chief by taking 5 wickets. He single-handedly destroyed the middle and lower-middle order of the Australian batting lineup.

Here's every single one of the NINETEEN wickets to fall on Day 1 at Optus Stadium ... in just 71.5 overs 🤯#Ashes pic.twitter.com/d8QFJEmCxe

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 21, 2025

Stokes claimed the wickets of Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland. In 6 overs, the England skipper got those 5 wickets with one maiden over. Mark Wood bowled well too with a 150 km/h pace continuously but lacked wickets on Day 1. Australia lost 9 batters for 123 before stumps.