England captain Ben Stokes has warned his players to be wary of Australian media scrutiny, labelling some coverage as “unbelievable journalism” and insisting that off-field distractions are part of the Ashes experience. Speaking ahead of the warm-up match at Lilac Hill, Stokes said the tourists must take such treatment in their stride and laugh it off.
Stokes also hit back at criticism from former players, including Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan, over England’s preparation schedule. He described them as “has-beens” and defended the team’s planning, saying: “We leave no stone unturned. We have prepared incredibly well.”
Comparing modern schedules to past tours, Stokes noted that packed calendars make it impossible to mimic the lengthy build-ups of previous eras. Despite playing only one warm-up fixture before the first Test, he expressed confidence that the side would be ready by the time the series begins on 21 November.
The captain also addressed the fitness of pace duo Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who skipped training to conserve energy. Stokes said it “would be exciting” to have both available for the opening Test, but cautioned that nine days remain before the match.
