England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler has backed the Ben Stokes-led team despite England’s 4-1 defeat in the Ashes in Australia. Buttler admitted that the result was frustrating, especially as many believed the squad had a genuine chance, and added that the campaign did not unfold the way they had planned.
England lost three matches in just 11 days, which put pressure on their planning, team choices, and off-field decisions. The visitors responded by winning the fourth Test, but Australia won the final match in Sydney to complete a 4-1 series victory. Coach Brendon McCullum said that the team needed to improve.
A Disappointing and Frustrating Campaign – Jos Buttler on England’s Ashes Loss
Jos Buttler said that England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia was tough to take. He admitted the result was disappointing and frustrating for the players because the series did not go as they hoped.
“A disappointing and frustrating campaign for the guys,” Buttler told Sky Sports News.
“I think we all thought this was the time this team going to Australia would have a real, genuine chance of winning. They will be frustrated it hasn’t turned out as they would have planned.”
It’s Very Easy to Point Fingers at Certain Things – Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler said that poor outcomes often lead to criticism of planning and preparation. He stated that modern tours leave little time to prepare and teams must adapt quickly rather than wait for ideal conditions.
Buttler warned against making rushed changes after heavy defeats and stressed the importance of protecting the team’s core identity. He said that senior figures, including Ben Stokes, will take time to review what went wrong and identify areas for improvement.
“Ultimately, it’s about results. I think when you don’t get the results that you crave, it’s very easy to point fingers at certain things. Your preparation, your planning, a lot of stuff your hands will be tied. You don’t actually have as much choice to prepare, it’s not a blank canvas,” Buttler stated.
“But I think the guys at the top, and knowing Ben as I do, they will take a bit of time to evaluate what happened, what things they wish they did a bit differently, what things they need to improve on, and what things actually are real key pillars of the team, which they’ve done really well for a number of years that they need to really stick to and double down on even more,” he added.
They’ll Take a Bit of Time to Review It – Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler said that England should take time to review the tour and not make rushed changes. He stated that the team must keep its core strengths and make small improvements where needed. He added that Ben Stokes will work even harder to improve the team.
“I think they’ll just take a bit of time to review it. I know Ben pretty well – I played a lot of cricket with him growing up – and his determination and desire and passion to lead that team forward, improve and take them to be the number one Test team in the world, which is where he will want to take them, will be stronger than ever after this tour.”
Buttler will next be seen in action during the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which begins with the ODI series on January 22, while the T20I leg starts on January 30.
Also read: England announce boycott of day-night Ashes Tests in Australia
