England captain Ben Stokes has issued a rallying cry to his team, urging them to quickly process and discard the disappointment of a heavy first-Test defeat to Australia. The tourists suffered an eight-wicket loss in Perth inside two days, a result that has left the squad needing an immediate mental reset ahead of the second match in Brisbane.
Stokes admitted his side was left stunned by a blistering century from Australian batsman Travis Head, who, promoted to open the innings, smashed 123 runs from just 83 deliveries to dismantle England’s bowling plans. The captain described the feeling in the camp as one of “shellshock” but stressed the importance of not carrying the emotional baggage of the loss forward.
“You have to let it hurt, you have to feel that disappointment fully,” Stokes stated. “But the critical part is then letting it go, learning what you can from it, and ensuring it doesn’t follow you to the next contest. When we arrive in Brisbane, our mindset must be exactly where it was before this game started. We need a clean slate.”
England’s coach, Brendon McCullum, echoed the captain’s sentiments, firmly backing the team’s aggressive playing philosophy despite the result. He acknowledged that while execution needed to be better and sustained for longer periods, there would be no fundamental shift in strategy. “The blueprint remains,” McCullum asserted. “We believe in our style and our players. We just have to do it more consistently.”
For Australia, the match was defined by Head’s spectacular performance. Stepping into the opening role due to an injury to Usman Khawaja, the left-hander conquered personal doubts about his Test match readiness after a long break from the format. He revealed extensive preparation and admitted to pre-match anxieties about facing a high-quality England attack.
“It’s been a discussion point for a while, whether I could take on that role,” Head explained, expressing his desire to continue as an opener. “I’ve always put my hand up for it. You look at the way David Warner played that position—with aggression and intent—and I felt I could offer something similar for the team’s balance.”
With the series now alive, England faces the urgent task of regrouping. The focus shifts to Brisbane, where they must win to level the series and prevent Australia from seizing a commanding lead in one of sport’s oldest and most storied rivalries.