Melbourne, 27 December (H.S.): ' England captain Ben Stokes described the four-wicket victory over Australia in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as a really special achievement on Saturday, ending a 15-year wait for a Test win on Australian soil amid intense scrutiny following three straight defeats.

The triumph, sealed on the second day of the Boxing Day fixture before 94,199 fans, saw England chase 175 in 32.2 overs after dismissing Australia for 132 in their second innings, snapping an 18-match winless streak since January 2011.

Stokes' Emotional Post-Match Reflections

Stokes, speaking after the match, praised the collective resolve amid pre-game controversies over a mid-series Noosa break and preparation doubts. It's been a massive effort from everyone, and to come out on the right side of the result feels really special. Hopefully it means a lot. We play for a lot of people—not just ourselves, he said, crediting global fan support: The noise, the chants, the constant backing—the lads out in the middle hear it, feel it, and thrive off it. I know a lot of our fans will be buzzing right now.

He called the chase very satisfying, noting the pitch's seam movement: There was a fair bit going on in the build-up... For the lads to come out, stay focused, and perform says a lot about the character in this team.

Tactical Brilliance in Tricky Chase

Huge credit to the players, support staff, and management for keeping everyone locked in on what mattered—playing good cricket, Stokes elaborated. The message was to stay positive, not let the bowlers settle, and make them keep running in... The way we balanced intent with discipline was brilliant. It took courage, but the lads handled it superbly.

He spotlighted pacer Josh Tongue's match-winning figures of 5-45 and 2-44 (Player of the Match) on Boxing Day: Josh has been outstanding... To take five wickets in front of a massive crowd, that's something really special.

Key Performances and Record Context

Young all-rounder Jacob Bethell top-scored with 40 in the chase, steadying after early wickets; Stokes lauded: Bethell—the partnership he helped build in tricky conditions was really important. Seeing younger players stand up is fantastic.

Full scorecard:

Australia 152 (Neser 35; Tongue 5-45) & 132 (Head 46; Carse 4-34), England 110 & 178/6 (Bethell 40, Crawley 37).

No injuries or accidents marred the two-day Test, the series' second such finish after Perth; Australia leads 3-1 ahead of Sydney on January 4.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar