Australia were the better team from 1 to 11 in the first two Tests and that's why they're 2-0 up: Andrew Strauss

Ben Stokes’ heroics in the second Test match at Lord's in the ongoing Ashes 2023 was not enough to take his side home. Former England skipper Andrew Strauss criticised the Ben Stokes-led side for their performance and pointed out that the home side relied on a one-man show, as Australia won the second match by 43 runs and led the series 2-0.

England's star all-rounder scored 155 runs in the second innings, including nine fours and as many sixes. It also was the highest number of sixes hit in an innings by a player in the Ashes series, as the home skipper started a counter-attack against Aussies when Jonny Bairstow was stumped in a controversial manner. The stylish left-handed batter brought his 13th Test hundred by hitting a six, but later Josh Hazlewood put an end to the onslaught.

In the second Test, Aussie star batter Steve Smith was awarded Player of the Match for his incredible hundred in the first innings. In contrast, England’s current Test match skipper, Stokes, played the astonishing 155-run knock in 214 balls but fell short when his side was on 301 runs chasing 371.

Strauss emphasises Ben Stokes’ performance but criticised England

"We saw some incredible performances, none better than Ben Stokes. But the truth was that you can't rely on one man to win a Test match. Australia were the better team from 1 to 11 in the first two Tests, and that's why they're 2-0 up,” Strauss was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.

"Never a dull moment with England and Australia playing, throwing absolutely everything they can at each other. There were some strange tactics, but they worked, and that progressed the game. When you have a series that goes the length that it has and the intensity that it has, it is full entertainment,” added the former left-handed batter. 

Now, after the second Test loss and truckloads of criticism from former players on Stokes and McCullum's ‘Bazball’ approach, the England team would be surely looking to make a comeback in the third Test match of five-match series at Leeds, which starts on July 6.