The Ashes: Ben Stokes wants England to show 'a bit of dog' in crucial Test

England captain Ben Stokes is urging his team to display greater resilience as they face Australia in the pivotal third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

With England trailing 2-0 in the series, they must break a 17-game losing streak on Australian soil at the Adelaide Oval to keep their hopes of winning back the urn alive. Stokes emphasized the need for a stronger mentality after their defeat in the second Test at the Gabba, stating that the dressing room is "no place for weak men". He also acknowledged that the team has had frank discussions in the week and a half since the Brisbane loss.

The Adelaide Oval Test, which begins Wednesday (23:30 GMT Tuesday), marks Stokes' return to the ground where he made his Test debut 12 years ago. During that debut, the then 22-year-old Stokes made his presence known with an on-field clash with Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

When asked if he felt that on-field aggression came more naturally to him than his teammates, Stokes explained his view on the term: "It's a word that I think people don't really understand what it means... It's just trying to fight in every situation... Just look at your opposition every single time and show a bit of dog. That's fight to me."

Stokes drew inspiration from England's victory against India at Lord's in July, a match characterized by its intensity. He believes the team needs to replicate that mindset to succeed. "That was a moment where we all did that... On the back of attitude, mentality towards that specific situation is what gave us the best chance of winning that game."

Regarding team selection, Stokes addressed the decision to leave Shoaib Bashir out of the England XI for the Adelaide Test. Josh Tongue replaces Gus Atkinson as the sole change from the Brisbane team, with Will Jacks retaining his place ahead of Bashir. Despite Stokes' previous indication that Bashir would be the preferred spinner when needed, he has been omitted for this match, even with forecasts predicting high temperatures and the Adelaide Oval typically offering assistance to spin bowlers. Bashir's recent tour match figures were 2-266.

"I wouldn't say it's got anything to do against Bash whatsoever," Stokes clarified. "The main thing is we're 2-0 down. We need to win the next three... We feel having Jacksy down at number eight obviously strengthens our batting a little bit deeper if we need to go there. And he's more than capable enough to handle that role with the ball when we need to call upon it."

England's current situation marks a critical juncture in the Ashes series, as they aim to avoid repeating the heavy defeats of their previous three tours to Australia (5-0, 4-0, and 4-0).

Head coach Brendon McCullum stated on Sunday that speculation about his job security doesn't concern him. Stokes echoed this sentiment, affirming that he won't prioritize self-preservation over the team's interests. "My job is to captain this team and I'll do everything I can to lead the team in the best possible way that I can... We both give everything that we possibly can towards the team and it will always be like that as long as we are both in these roles."