Why Joe Root's dressing-room apology to Ben Stokes showed former England skipper's 'incredible mentality'
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Updated 07/12/2025 at 12:04 GMT
England suffered an eight-wicket loss in the second NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test. Ben Stokes reflected on the "incredible mindset and mentality" of Joe Root in responding from his own personal disappointment in Perth to record his maiden century in Brisbane. Stokes has told his team-mates to use Root's resilience as inspiration. Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
England were 'not able to stand up to pressure' of Ashes Test - Stokes
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Ben Stokes highlighted the example of Joe Root that England must follow as a beacon of hope heading into the third NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test after Australia piled on the pain at the Gabba.
Stokes called for calm and urged that this is not the time to panic in a message of defiance to the England fans after a morale-sapping eight-wicket defeat, which leaves them on the brink of a series defeat.
The England captain appeared to be hurting as he spoke to TNT Sports in the aftermath of the Gabba hammering. That was the assessment of Steven Finn, but he did pick out Root’s historic moment as something which demonstrated what England are capable of when the application is right.
Ultimately, Root's maiden Test century in Australia counted for very little. His stellar 138 wasn't backed up by his team-mates, but Stokes believes the milestone must act as a positive to cling onto heading to Adelaide.
"Rooty getting 100 is a good start! He's a great example for the group," Stokes told TNT Sports.
"You look at the scrutiny he was under - it's impossible to miss stuff like that.
"After that game in Perth, he came and sat next to me as I got back from my press conference. He apologised to me - I said you don't ever need to do that - and he said, 'I'm gonna get the big one next game for you'.
"That to me is the incredible mindset and mentality that I think everyone in that dressing room can ooze off.
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England v Australia Ashes highlights: Stokes' troops fall 2-0 behind in series
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"The belief he has in himself to go and do that when he's under the most scrutiny he ever will be in his career, to go and do what he did this week... a lot of guys, myself included, can take a lot from that."
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'Australia isn't a place for weak men'
The spotlight will once more be turned on England's management team and their approach, as England find themselves in desperate need of adapting quickly to the conditions in Adelaide if they are to have any chance of clambering off the canvas.
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The likelihood is that the challenge is only going to get harder for England, with Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins set to return in the third Test.
"It's very disappointing," Stokes continued to TNT Sports. "I think a lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line.
"In small passages, we have been able to bring the game back into some kind of control and then let it slip away. It is very disappointing, in particular because of the ability of the players we have in that dressing room. We need to think a bit harder and deeper about those moments and show a little more fight when it is needed.
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"If I could have put my finger on it, I would be able to tell you. It is not a skill thing.
"It is not down to skill. You have got to dig a bit deeper and find out what the thing is that we seem to keep doing in the big moments of the game. We will be having some conversations that I will be keeping in the dressing room."
England are right up against it, but if they can get the fine margins on their side, there is no reason why they cannot bloody the nose of their old foes.
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On whether he and his team-mates remain confident of winning the remaining three Tests, Stokes was in defiant mood.
"It seems to be a constant theme at the moment that when the game is at a pressure moment, Australia keep outdoing us," he said.
"They say Australia isn't a place for weak men. We are definitely not weak, but we need to find something. We need to sort it.
"I absolutely believe in that dressing room. I have full belief in the players in there and the coaching staff. We have to win these next three games. We have been 2-0 down before and know what we have to do. We ain't going to shy away from the battle, but we do need to look at where things have gone and sort them out pretty quick."
Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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