Australia captain Alyssa Healy has expressed her concern that England captain Ben Stokes is placing too much burden on himself during the Ashes 2025-26 series. With England heading into a critical, must-win match, Healy has called upon Stokes' teammates, especially vice-captain Harry Brook, to step up and assume greater responsibility for the team's performance.
I think Ben Stokes shoulders too much of the accountability for everything: Ben Stokes
England currently trail Australia 0-2 in the series. Despite having several opportunities to seize the advantage during the second Test in Brisbane, the visiting side ultimately faltered. Their struggles were primarily attributed to poor shot selection and a visible inability to adapt to the challenging pitch conditions, which ultimately triggered a batting collapse. This allowed Australia to secure a comfortable eight-wicket victory and further extend their lead in the series.
“I actually think Ben Stokes shoulders too much of the accountability for everything. I have full praise for him. He stands there at the end of every Test match that they lose and says, ‘I’ll take accountability for this, this, [and] this. I did this wrong, I did that wrong,” Healy said on the Willow Talk podcast.
“How about taking a little bit of load off your captain? ‘Hi, my name’s Harry Brook, I played a shocking shot twice in this Test match (Brisbane) and I put our team under the pump unnecessarily twice’. I’ve never heard him come out and say that. There’s your captain standing there sticking up for him, saying, ‘I did this wrong, I did that wrong.’ For me, that screams trouble, and that’s creating a bubble environment that he and Brendon [McCullum] are trying to empower their players to be good enough to be out there and compete,” six-time World Cup-winner further stated.
The Poms have fully embraced the beach life in Noosa. On December 9, shirts were a rare sight as captain Stokes and his team strolled along Noosa Main Beach and enjoyed a dip in the ocean, while opener Zak Crawley and the bowlers shared a quiet beer. The relaxation continued into Wednesday, with the entire squad gathering for a lighthearted game of kickabout on the beach. Coach McCullum also joined in the fun, playing 'keep-ups' with his players before going for a swim in his board shorts.
England's downtime at Noosa beach
Details from the beach reveal a relaxed atmosphere: Jofra Archer was spotted sporting his signature gold chain, and players, including the injured fast bowler Mark Wood, were seen applying sunscreen to one another to stay safe in the Australian sun. Stokes has been particularly obliging with fans in Noosa, happily taking selfies on the beach.