"After Australia won the second Test in Brisbane by the same eight-wicket margin with which they secured the first, Stokes suggested the telling difference was that the home side had been superior in the moments in the game where the heat is on and the pressure is really, really cooking whereas his players have all been guilty at moments [of] letting the pressure, the occasion, the circumstances, get to us."
"I know it's not a skill thing, because they're all incredibly talented players. But if you can't put it down to skill then you start to wonder, what is it? Do we need to start thinking about what mentality we're taking into those pressure moments? Because when we're on top we're great, but when the game is neck and neck we're not coming out on top on enough occasions to be able to challenge Australia."
England have folded in crucial moments across the first two Ashes Tests, prompting questions about player character and mental robustness. Australia won both early Tests by identical eight-wicket margins, repeatedly outlasting England in high-pressure phases. The difference is attributed less to skill and more to mentality when the heat is on; England excel when dominant but struggle when contests are tight. The dressing-room culture emphasizes that weakness will not be accepted. The mental side of the game, particularly performing when behind or under intense pressure, is identified as the decisive factor in these results.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]