Vice-captain Harry Brook admits he was guilty of playing some “shocking shots” as England attempt to stay alive in the Ashes.

The third Test begins in Adelaide on Wednesday with hosts Australia on the brink of retaining the famous urn.

England were beaten by eight wickets in Perth and Brisbane, with the usually prolific Brook scoring a total of 98 runs across four innings.

Two of his dismissals came when driving wildly and the 26-year-old said: “They were shocking shots. I’d admit that every day of the week.”

MORE: Desperate England looking for Ashes miracle

England’s under-pressure coach Brendon McCullum has said that the visitors will not give up their Bazball attacking approach, despite a rash of cheap dismissals and mounting criticism back home.

But Brook hinted that, with the series on the line, England needed to get the balance right.

“Sometimes we’ve got to rein it in a little bit,” the batsman told reporters in Adelaide. “Learn when to absorb the pressure a little bit more and then realise when the opportunity arises to put pressure back on them.

“I feel like I probably haven’t done that as well as I usually do in this series so far. There’s no reason behind that, I just haven’t identified those situations well enough.”

ALSO: England roll the dice on Tongue for Adelaide Test

Only once in history has a team come from 2-0 down to win the Ashes, all the way back in 1936-37, when a Don Bradman-inspired Australia overcame the deficit.