‘We have moved on’: Ben Stokes resets tone ahead of pink-ball Test in Brisbane

England suffered a heavy defeat in the first Ashes Test in Perth, where Australia chased down the target with eight wickets to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the series. The match finished inside two days, and the result hit England hard. But captain Ben Stokes says the team has moved on and is focused on getting things right in Brisbane.

Stokes spoke to the media ahead of the second day-night Test at the Gabba and said the group had honest conversations after the Perth collapse. According to him, the players know exactly where things slipped and what needs to improve.

“We’ve talked about it, and we’ve moved on,” he said. “There were moments where we were in control, but we didn’t hold those moments for long enough.”

The first Test saw batting collapses from both sides, but Travis Head’s outstanding 123 turned the match. Stokes praised Head’s innings but made it clear that England’s defeat wasn’t because of one knock alone. Instead, he pointed to chances missed, poor decision-making, and the failure to build on strong positions.

England now heads into a tougher challenge at the Gabba, where Australia has dominated pink-ball Tests, winning 13 of their 14 matches under lights. England’s own record with the pink ball is mixed, which made their preparation even more debated.

Michael Vaughan questions England's decision

The team management faced criticism for skipping a two-day pink-ball warm-up match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. Former captain Michael Vaughan called the decision 'amateurish”, arguing that England needed more match practice. Stokes defended the move, saying the conditions in Canberra had no relevance to Brisbane and that extra training sessions were a better option.

“You look at the pros and cons. We felt preparing here, in these conditions, was the right call,” Stokes said. “We know we are doing everything we can to be ready.”

England now needs a strong response to keep the Ashes alive. Australia has the momentum, the home crowd, and a pitch that suits them.