BRISBANE: England captain Ben Stokes has demanded his players toughen up after another embarrassing defeat to Australia left the Ashes hanging by a thread, making clear the team is “not a place for weak men”.

Two Tests into the five-match series and England are reeling, crashing by eight wickets in both Perth and Brisbane and waking Monday to yet more fierce criticism.

Facing an almost impossible task to win the last three Tests to regain the Ashes, Stokes wants to see more fire from his players.

“There is a saying that we have said a lot here — Australia is not for weak men,” Stokes told the BBC. “A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either.”

Stokes was particularly critical of England crumbling in pressure moments, in contrast to Australia who have been able to dig deep and get the upper hand.

“Do we need to start thinking about what mentality we are taking into those pressure moments?” Stokes said. “When we are on top we are great and when behind the game we are also very good but when that moment is neck and neck we are not coming out on top on enough occasions.”

Australian media had a field day at England’s expense with headlines including “Humiliated”, “Humbled” and “Bazball in Ashes”, referring to the aggressive style favoured by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum that has failed so far.

England have more than a week to regroup before the must-win third Test in Adelaide on December 17, where Australia are set to be strengthened by the return of skipper Pat Cummins.

But a scheduled four-day mini holiday on the beach at tourist playground Noosa after two crushing defeats may not be the best look.

Stokes defended the decision, saying it was important for players to decompress.

“We have been here four weeks and they have been pretty full on,” he told reporters. “As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I have experienced that.

“I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well. Trust me when I say it is so, so important for teams to be able to go away as a team and almost put the pressures aside for a couple of days,” he added.

Adding to England’s woes, McCullum has been slammed for suggesting the team “trained too much” in the lead-up to the day-night clash in Brisbane.

In response, England great Kevin Pietersen said on X: “Leading into this Test match, I think we over-prepared. Crikey, Baz.”

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2025