Ben Stokes Called 'Brainless' As Bazball Bites Dust In Ashes Opener Against Australia: 'Can't Be Competitive...'

Ashes 2025, Australia vs England 1st Test: Ben Stokes has faced massive criticism after England's defeat in the first Test against Australia in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series at the Perth Stadium on Saturday. Australia defeated England by 8 wickets to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

The hosts produced a memorable effort with the bat as the Perth Test ended inside two days. Travis Head came up with an outstanding batting performance and smashed a fiery century to help Australia chase down the 205-run target in 28.2 overs. Head went on to play a magnificent knock of 123 runs in just 83 balls on the back of 16 fours and four sixes.

Since their last Ashes series victory in Australia 15 years ago, England has now lost 14 Tests, drawn two, and won none Down Under. However, after reaching 160/5, the visitors lost five wickets for just 12 runs, ending day one at 172 all out. The Ben Stokes-led side regained an advantage by dismissing Australia for 132. While England's over-attacking approach ended up biting the dust, their legendary skipper, Geoffrey Boycott, launched a fiery attack on Stokes' side. He called England's Bazball approach "brainless and damaged."

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"Well, from this has-been the message is simple: when you keep throwing away Test matches by doing the same stupid things, it is impossible to take you seriously," batting great Geoffrey Boycott said in a newspaper column.

"They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble, because they truly believe their own publicity. Now it has bitten them in an Ashes Test, the biggest challenge of all, and unless they mount a spectacular comeback, they will regret it for a very long time. It is simple. Brainless batting and bowling lost England the match."

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Former captain Michael Vaughan also criticised the team, suggesting the defeat would leave mental scars. "This is going to hurt England, it’s going to damage them, I think," he was quoted as saying to broadcasters. "They have the tools to be really competitive, but you can’t be competitive without brains."

Stokes acknowledged the team was “shell-shocked" and admitted he and coach Brendon McCullum had a tough job ahead to motivate the players. "When we get to Brisbane, we need to be back up to that mindset of how we came into this game, still very confident of our abilities and achieving the goal," he said.

"It’s crucial not be taking any baggage from this result into Brisbane."