Adelaide, Dec 21 (NationPress) England's captain Ben Stokes acknowledged that the team's subpar execution, both in Adelaide and throughout the initial three Tests of the summer, has been the key factor leading to yet another defeat in the Ashes series against Australia.

In a valiant effort during the fourth innings at the Adelaide Oval, England came up short by 82 runs in their pursuit of a world-record chase on Sunday. This loss secured Australia a commanding 3-0 lead as they head into the upcoming Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Speaking to the press after the match, Stokes maintained a calm demeanor, expressing disappointment while highlighting that the remaining two Tests are still significant for his team.

“It’s obviously disappointing; it’s frustrating to realize we can't accomplish what we aimed for here,” Stokes mentioned during the post-match conference.

“Now the focus shifts to: ‘What lies ahead?’. We still have two more games to play for ... representing England is an honor in itself.

“We aren’t going to throw in the towel just because we’ve lost the series. There’s still plenty at stake,” he added.

England once again displayed moments of potential but were unable to produce a complete performance. Many players made contributions but fell victim to familiar pitfalls, while Australia, despite their own imperfections, maintained dominance throughout the four-and-a-half-day match.

“I’d never underestimate the Australian team ... it’s clear to me that Australia has been more effective in their batting, bowling, and fielding on a much more consistent scale than we have,” Stokes stated.

“I believe some players learned valuable lessons this week. It’s tough to find the positives right now ... but I will focus on the good things I’ve observed this week.

“After losing the toss and being put to bowl, we managed to dismiss Australia for under-par on a day one pitch in Adelaide. We knew we were in a good position before even batting.

“We were close, but not close enough. Being 'close' doesn’t help when you need to win a match,” Stokes explained.

The third Test also marked a shift away from England's signature ‘Bazball’ strategy, with players like Zak Crawley and Harry Brook adopting a more conservative approach. Their solid technique indicated that England's aggressive style is no longer their only strategy in Australian conditions.

“We are aware of the strategies that work here. As I stated initially, we simply haven’t executed those strategies effectively for long enough ... you can’t consistently perform poorly as we have in these first three matches, especially with the ball,” Stokes noted.

“This has been our best performance on this tour, but it’s still not sufficient.

“It’s an emotional period for me in the locker room (and for everyone else) ... but once we regroup and analyze the match, we will take away a lot from this experience.

“Ultimately, what you do on the field is what matters ... we’ve struggled to match Australia’s level of execution,” the England skipper emphasized.

Stokes also commented on his limited bowling role during a critical phase on day three, explaining that it was a precautionary measure due to fitness concerns.

“The first two days were quite demanding ... by the next day, I honestly felt off. I knew I still had a significant role to fulfill for the team, so I didn’t want to risk injury when I wasn’t fully fit.

“I felt like I might get injured every time I chased after a ball, so I prioritized my well-being for the remaining days of this match ... I actually heeded the advice given to me for once,” he further elaborated.