England captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer were involved in a tense on-field exchange during the opening day of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. Australia resumed play at 326/8, with Mitchell Starc immediately attacking the England bowlers.
The left-handed batsman smashed four boundaries in quick succession to bring up his half-century and added another to move to 54, putting further pressure on the visitors.
As the runs flowed freely, Stokes had a stern word with Archer, seemingly expressing frustration at the lack of control and the ease with which the Australian tail was scoring. Moments later, Archer responded in the best possible way by clean bowling Starc to take the decisive wicket.
Ashes 2025 3rd Test Day 2 Highlights
After his dismissal, Stokes responded by throwing his arms wide after his tactics were vindicated. He then walked over to celebrate with Archer, holding out his hand for a high-five. However, there was a noticeable delay before Archer acknowledged the captain, adding to the visible tension.
The pair ended up sharing a high-five and exchanging a few more words before refocusing on the game. Stokes looked annoyed and urged Archer not to complain about the pitch, instead asking him to bowl according to the setup.
Archer also claimed the last wicket of Australia’s innings to register his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests. He finished with figures of 5/53 in 20.3 overs as Australia were bundled out for 371.
Meanwhile, after being replaced earlier in the day, Stokes and Archer put on a crucial 45-run stand for the ninth wicket. to help England avoid a sequel. The visitors were reeling at 168/8 in the final over, trailing by 203 runs. However, Stokes (45*) and Archer (30*) combined at the crease to ensure England went to stumps without any further loss of wickets. They finished Day 2 on 213/8, still 158 runs behind Australia.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
December 18, 2025
