Ben Stokes flags double standards over MCG pitch criticism: 'If that was somewhere else...'

England captain Ben Stokes shared his honest views on the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch after the fourth Ashes Test ended inside two days. The Boxing Day Test, one of the biggest events on the cricket calendar, finished far quicker than expected, raising questions about the quality of the surface.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Stokes admitted that such a short Test match is not ideal, especially on Boxing Day. “Being brutally honest, that’s not what you want. You know, Boxing Day Test match, you don’t want the game finishing in less than two days. Not ideal but can’t change it. Once you start the game, you just got to play what’s in front of you,” Stokes said.

However, the England skipper also made a strong point about how such a pitch would be judged if it appeared somewhere else. Stokes suggested that there would be far more criticism if a Test ended this quickly outside in another part of the world. “But, yeah I’m pretty sure if that was somewhere else in the world, you know, there’d be hell on,” Stokes said after the game.

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"If that was somewhere else in the world, you know, there'd be hell on"

The captains share their opinions on the spicy MCG pitch 👀 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/XwhX3mexIB

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2025

Did Stokes indirectly refer to India?

Stokes could have been indirectly referring to India, where pitches often come under heavy scrutiny. In recent years, if a Test match in India finishes in less than three days, overseas experts, especially from England, have been quick to criticise the surface and accuse hosts of preparing spin-friendly tracks.

Meanwhile, the MCG pitch also came under similar levels of criticism after producing a two-day Test dominated by fast bowlers. The Melbourne surface offered little help to batters, with both teams collapsing quickly. Australia were bowled out cheaply in both innings, while England also struggled with the bat but did enough to secure a four-wicket win in the second innings.

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England’s victory helped them avoid an Ashes whitewash and handed Australia their first defeat of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. The Ashes will now move to Sydney for the final Test, scheduled to take place from January 4 to 8.