Ashes: Stokes defends England, says 'arrogant' label is too far
What's the story
England Test captain Ben Stokes has reacted to the criticism following his team's defeat in the first Ashes Test against Australia. The match, which ended in less than two days, drew heavy flak from critics and fans alike. Despite being in a commanding position on day two with a 105-run lead and nine wickets remaining, England's batting collapsed under poor shot selection. They lost nine wickets for just 99 runs, leading to an eight-wicket defeat at Perth.
Response
Stokes addresses criticism, defends team's approach
Stokes accepted the criticism of England's performance but rejected the label of "arrogant." He said, "Look, you can call us rubbish, call us whatever you want. We didn't have the Test match that we wanted to. We were great in passages of that game... but I think arrogant might be a little bit too far." He added that while they would accept all criticism, not all of it was valid.
Justification
Stokes defends team's decision to skip PM's XI match
Stokes also defended England's decision not to send more first-team players for the PM's XI match. Only Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue, and Matthew Potts are at Manuka Oval while the rest of the Ashes squad is in Brisbane since Wednesday. This left Lions captain Tom Haines facing questions from local media about England disrespecting the match and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Strategy
Stokes explains England's decision-making process
Stokes explained the decision to skip the fixture was based on several factors. He said, "You take all the factors into consideration, the pros and cons, whatever it may be. We then discuss that and decide what we think is the best preparation." He added they had more days off than planned after that Test and had to consider how to use those days wisely for preparation for Brisbane.
Anticipation
Stokes acknowledges challenges ahead of 2nd Test
As England prepare for the second Test at The Gabba next Thursday, Stokes acknowledged the challenges. Australia have an impressive record in day-night Tests with 13 wins from 14 matches. Mitchell Starc is a standout performer with the pink ball, having taken 81 wickets at an average of 17.08. Despite these odds, Stokes remains hopeful and determined to turn things around for his team.