Don’t provoke Ben Stokes: David Warner warns Australia ahead of Ashes against England

Originally posted on Crictoday | By V.M.Suriya Narayanan | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 2:37 PM ET

In an interview with Fox Sports, David Warner said that Ben Stokes’ England might be content with just moral victories during their tour of Australia. Warner responded to comments made by Zak Crawley, who claimed that ‘Bazball’ had affected the Australian side. In an interview with The Times, Crawley pointed out that the concept of moral victories was initially mentioned by the Australians during the last Test series.

“All the discussions after the last series about ‘the moral Ashes’ due to Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping were simply because the series ended in a draw. In my view, if they had won, they wouldn’t have mentioned it, so it’s actually flattering that they felt the need to bring it up,” Crawley told The Times.

David Warner has a swipe at England and gives his Ashes predictions #cricket #Ashes #kayosports pic.twitter.com/syPKJ8Xgc7
— Kayo Sports (@kayosports) October 13, 2025

Crawley was heavily criticised for inaccurately recalling moments from the 2023 series. In response, Warner pointed out that England were playing for moral victories, knowing they stood little chance of defeating Australia. “They’re playing for a moral victory,” Warner said.

Warner advised Australia to avoid provoking Ben Stokes, noting his knack for excelling in crucial matches. He called Stokes a dedicated player and warned that provoking him could spell trouble for Australia.

“I was lucky to share a dressing room with him when he was young, and since then, he has grown into a dedicated cricketer and an excellent leader,” he added.

“If we can avoid provoking him and keep him calm, it will benefit Australia a lot. But I also want to see some banter and competition on the field.”

This article first appeared on Crictoday and was syndicated with permission.

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