Stokes urges England to avoid being ‘insular’ in Sydney
England faced significant disappointment as they dropped the first three Tests within just 11 days, conceding the series at the earliest chance. However, the visitors secured victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, marking their first win in this nation in nearly 15 years. Both Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum, and director of cricket Rob Key have expressed their desire to keep their positions despite this Ashes setback. While Stokes is expected to continue, the future of McCullum and Key could be under more examination if England suffers a defeat at the SCG. In contrast, former captain Michael Vaughan previously noted that England’s win in Sydney during the 4-1 Ashes defeat of 2002-03 served as the foundation for their remarkable series victory on home turf in 2005. “The Ashes for us, unfortunately, hasn’t gone the way we wanted it to but we’ve got one more game in a big game in a big series,” Stokes remarked. England’s next Test will not occur until the start of a three-match series against New Zealand at home in June. With the upcoming match in Sydney, England has 14 games before the next Ashes series at home in the summer of 2027. Nonetheless, Stokes does not see this match as a stepping stone to reclaiming the urn next year. “That’s so far away from where we are right now,” the 34-year-old stated. “We’ve got a big Test to play here and a big gap until our next series. All that is time for reflection. Right now isn’t the time to do that.” As has become customary in Sydney, the fifth Test will spotlight a pink theme for the Jane McGrath Foundation, a charity established in honor of the late wife of legendary Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath. This match will signify the final Test in the career of Australian batter Usman Khawaja, who revealed on Friday that this will be his last international appearance. Acting Australia captain Steve Smith, who is three years younger than Khawaja at 36, has affirmed he will not be retiring alongside him just yet. This will be Australia’s last Test before a home series against Bangladesh in August, which signifies the start of a packed schedule leading up to the 2027 Ashes. Australia has not achieved a series victory in England since 2001, and Smith has yet to indicate if he plans to participate in that tour. “I’m obviously older and wiser,” he mentioned. “Maybe I’ll wake up one day and be like ‘that’s enough’. Who knows? Right now I’m not going anywhere.”
Published: 2026-01-03 06:27:00
source: www.bbc.com
