England captain Ben Stokes has broken his silence on the fiery Australian media reception his team received upon arriving in Perth, vowing to protect his Ashes newcomers from the intense scrutiny that defines cricket's greatest rivalry.
Media Firestorm Meets Stokes' Humour
Speaking to journalists for the first time since England landed in Western Australia last week, Stokes responded with trademark dry wit to The West Australian's front page that labelled him a 'cocky captain complainer'. The all-rounder revealed he'd been following the headlines with amusement since touching down.
"I was waking up each day to see what the next headline was," Stokes said, referencing the newspaper's creative descriptions that also targeted star batsman Joe Root as 'Average Joe'.
The England skipper couldn't resist poking fun at the journalistic methods behind the sensational headlines. "I think it's unbelievable journalism to be able to get that much information on the front page in the headlines from a bloke wheeling a suitcase through the airport," he quipped.
Guarding the Greenhorns
Stokes faces the unique challenge of leading a squad where only six of the sixteen players have previously experienced Test cricket in Australia. This marks his third Ashes tour down under, but for many teammates, the Australian conditions and atmosphere represent uncharted territory.
"Coming to Australia for the Ashes is a lot different than anything else when you're playing," Stokes emphasised. "There's a lot more that goes on away from the cricket itself."
The captain outlined his approach to preparing the newcomers: "It's just making everyone aware that's the case but making sure it's nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be scared of, and don't shy away from it."
He expressed particular disappointment when the media attention shifted from himself to Root, indicating it represented another challenge his team must navigate.
Former Players Add to Pre-Test Drama
The traditional Ashes verbal sparring has already begun, with former players from both nations exchanging barbs through various media channels. Stokes appeared unfazed by the commentary from what he described as "has-beens".
"The war of words between the two nations, that starts about two months out from the first Test," he observed. "I think the build-up's always hyped up and always gets quite spicy the closer you get to the first game."
The England camp seems content to let others do the talking, with Stokes noting: "I think we'll just let the outside people have those wars of words. It's quite funny to see."
The pre-series banter included former English fast bowler Stuart Broad, now turned commentator, declaring the current Australian side "probably the worst Australian team since 2010". Not to be outdone, Australian legend Glenn McGrath stuck to his traditional prediction of a 5-0 victory for the home side.
Preparation Strategy Defended
England's limited warm-up schedule has drawn criticism from several former English greats, with legendary all-rounder Sir Ian Botham describing the single practice match against England Lions at Lilac Hill as "bordering on arrogance".
Stokes defended the preparation plan, citing modern scheduling constraints. "There's quite a few factors that play into why we can't prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past," he explained.
The captain expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the first Test, stating: "I don't really know what we're supposed to do, to be honest. Come the 21st of this month, we know that we would've done everything that is possible that we could've done to be in the right place."
The first Ashes Test begins Friday week at Perth's Optus Stadium, setting the stage for what promises to be another gripping chapter in cricket's oldest rivalry.
