Perth, Nov 23 (NationPress) England's skipper Ben Stokes highlighted the necessity of embracing the pain and frustration resulting from a significant loss to Australia in the inaugural Ashes Test before shifting focus to Brisbane.

The English team faced defeat in the first match of the Ashes series on Saturday, concluding in merely two days with the Australian side securing an eight-wicket victory. A visibly shaken Stokes, who described Travis Head's match-winning 123 as ‘remarkable’, stated that his priority upon waking on Sunday would be to uplift England's spirits.

“We’ve been in scenarios before where we found ourselves trailing in series, so our attitude is key in enabling us to progress to the next match, regardless of the circumstances,” Stokes expressed to the media after the Ashes opener at Perth Stadium.

“We excel at managing our emotions when it’s time to focus on what lies ahead. I’m quite composed regarding both triumphs and setbacks, and while I’ll wake up feeling deeply disappointed, my entire energy will be directed at revitalizing the group and redirecting our focus to Brisbane,” he continued.

Stokes is confident that England, who once seemed dominant in the opening Test by leading by over 100 runs with nine wickets still intact at lunch, will not carry any emotional baggage into the Gabba Test despite the shocking collapse that occurred on Saturday.

“Naturally, there’s disappointment and a weight of emotion that accompanies a loss. It’s my responsibility, along with Brendon McCullum and other experienced senior players, to guide the younger members through this. It’s essential to allow the hurt to settle before quickly releasing it while also learning from the experience, as we must adopt the right mindset heading into Brisbane, where winning is critical,” Stokes asserted.

He reiterated that England’s aggressive 'Bazball' batting style remains the optimal approach, despite significant collapses in both innings. Although some players fell victim to overly ambitious shots, he believes that innings like Head’s demonstrate the merits of an attacking strategy, asserting that the most successful players are those who take calculated risks.

“You can label it however you wish, but outcomes often dictate perceptions. The successful batsmen were those who seized every scoring opportunity that arose. On flat surfaces, scoring runs is essential, and it’s equally important to find ways to score on bowler-friendly pitches too.

“On Day 1, with 19 wickets falling, we adopted a proactive approach to scoring runs, which is why we achieved a 50-run lead. While it would have been preferable to have a larger margin going into our final bowling innings, we were confident in our ability to restrict Australia to under 200 and clinch the victory,” he concluded.