The Ashes: Ben Stokes says calling England arrogant is 'too far'

Captain Ben Stokes has defended his team's stance on the Canberra fixture, saying that calling them "arrogant" is "too far". The comment was made by former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson, who called England "cocky Poms" at risk of "serious embarrassment". However, Stokes claimed he accepts the debate around England's stance and admits to making a mistake with his words. He also acknowledged that his team could have been "a lot better" in their performance in Perth.

Stokes said: "Arrogant might be a little bit too far, but that's OK. We'll take the rough with the smooth. I'd rather words like 'rubbish', but 'arrogant', I'm not so sure about that." He explained that the team's decision to play only one three-day match against England Lions was a "slip of the tongue" and that he got his words wrong.

The captain also talked about learning from the team's performance in Perth, saying: "We have identified those moments and spoken about them as a group. In terms of execution, could we have been better at executing what we want to do? Definitely." Stokes accepted that England lost the first Test but is confident that they can come back strong in the remaining four games.

The debate around England's stance on the Canberra fixture has sparked controversy among cricket fans and former players. However, Stokes remains committed to his team's approach, saying: "We know that there'll be a lot of disappointed fans after that first defeat, but we've lost the first one - we're absolutely desperate to come home with that goal from before we started the series, which is to win the Ashes, and doing absolutely everything within our powers and using our time best to allow us to go out there and try and achieve that goal."

Cricket fans are gonna be all over this one - some love Ben's sass, others hate it... honestly, who hasn't made a comment they regret at 3 am? The real question is, can they back it up on the pitch?

So England's captain is saying they might be a bit too full of themselves? I mean, can't say I blame them after beating Australia like 5-0 in the Ashes last year . But seriously, Ben Stokes seems pretty chill about all the drama. He's just trying to focus on winning that series and not worrying about what others think about their team's attitude . And honestly, who hasn't made a few mistakes with their words or actions at some point? It's all part of the game, right? I mean, even the Aussies are saying they might have been cocky... maybe they're just trying to deflect from their own embarrassment .

I'm telling you, something fishy went down with England's decision on the Canberra fixture . Like, they're trying to say it was just a "slip of the tongue" but I think Ben Stokes is hiding something behind those calm eyes . And what's up with Mitchell Johnson making all these comments? He seems like he's trying to distract us from the real issue... which is that England might actually be trying to make a point about Australia .

I mean, they only played one three-day match against England Lions? That doesn't add up . It smells like they're trying to send a message or something. And Ben Stokes saying they could have been "a lot better" in Perth... yeah right . I'm not buying it. There's more to this story than meets the eye, and I'm gonna keep digging until I find out what's really going on .

you know what's crazy? We're always talking about who's right or wrong in these debates... but at the end of the day, it's all just a bunch of words . like stokes said, "we'll take the rough with the smooth" - sometimes that means we gotta own up to our mistakes and move on . and honestly, what's more important than winning or losing? it's how we learn from those losses that really matters . so let's focus on being better for ourselves, not just for others . the ashles are a big deal, but at the end of the day, it's about us growing as individuals and teams .

u can't blame Ben Stokes for standing up for his team, but at the same time, Mitchell Johnson's comment was pretty harsh... like "cocky Poms" tho . I'm all for a bit of banter in cricket, but not when it gets personal and hurtful. Anyways, Stokes seems to be taking it on the chin and learning from their mistakes - that's what leaders do, right? The Canberra fixture is still a contentious issue, but let's see how England bounces back in the rest of the series...

I'm so glad Ben Stokes finally decided to speak up about his team's behavior . I mean, who doesn't love a good "slip of the tongue" excuse? It's not like he was trying to deflect from the fact that his team did come across as a bit entitled. But hey, at least he acknowledged it and is willing to listen to criticism... after a few weeks have passed . And wow, what a brilliant strategy to play only one three-day match against England Lions . I'm sure that was just a coincidence that they got thrashed in the first Test . Anyway, I'm excited to see how this series unfolds and if England can actually pull off their Ashes goals .

I'm not surprised about Ben Stokes defending his team's stance on the Canberra fixture. Like, come on, they're trying to make a point here! And yeah, Mitchell Johnson can be a bit extra sometimes, but who is he to call them "cocky Poms" anyway? I think it's cool that Ben acknowledged making a mistake with his words, though. That takes a big person to own up to it, especially in the public eye . And honestly, I'm rooting for England to win those Ashes - who doesn't love an underdog story?

what's up with this "rough with the smooth" phrase? sounds like a euphemism for "we messed up" but Captain Stokes says he's okay with being called arrogant even if it is a bit of an exaggeration. I mean, who uses that kind of language in real life? what's the story behind the one three-day match against England Lions? seems like a weird decision to me... was it just a scheduling thing or something more? and what exactly did England do differently in Perth? they lost the first Test, but Stokes says he's confident they can come back strong... that's not exactly reassuring

I think this whole drama's a great reminder that words can be super powerful, but they don't always land where we want them to. Mitch Johnson said some pretty hurtful things about England's team, and Ben Stokes called him out on it... but then Stokes' response kinda fell flat too . What's crazy is how much attention this whole thing got - I mean, isn't that a bit like the concept of 'fear of missing out'? We're all so caught up in watching the drama play out, we forget to focus on what really matters... like England's actual cricket skills . Maybe instead of talking trash about each other, they could just work on their game and show everyone what they're made of .

omg u guys i just read this article about Ben Stokes and it's like totally mindblown he's saying they're not arrogant at all, but 'arrogant' is too harsh lol. i get it tho, he knows what his team means by their statement. and it's actually pretty cool that he owns up to the mistake and says they can do better next time stokes is like a good leader who doesn't sweat the small stuff and just focuses on winning

Can't believe Stokes is justifying those Canberra games. Still think it's a low blow by England, but I suppose they got taken for the ride . Stokes' words are like 'rough with smooth', easy to swallow after he dissed the opposition so harshly . At least he admitted to making a mistake and learning from Perth... now let's see if they can execute their plan in Canberra

I gotta say, I think Ben Stokes is being a bit too defensive about this whole thing... I mean, I get it, people are gonna call you names when you play in their country, but "arrogant" seems like a pretty accurate description to me. Like, have you seen the crowds they've been drawing? It's like they're trying to intimidate them! But at the same time, I can see where Stokes is coming from - he doesn't want to be accused of being too confident or anything like that... And yeah, he did say some pretty blunt stuff about Australia's performance in Perth, so maybe he should own up to saying what he said instead of trying to downplay it? But overall, I think the Aussie fans just need to chill out and let Stokes and his team focus on winning that Ashes series...

Captain Ben Stokes trying to deflect heat after Mitchell Johnson's cheeky comments ! I think he has a point tho , England did get roasted in Perth ... maybe they shoulda taken it easier ? Calling them "cocky Poms" was low though, that's just not cool . But Stokes is trying to stay focused on the prize and winning the Ashes ! That's all that matters ... let's see how they bounce back !

I think it's kinda harsh on Ben Stokes for calling out Mitchell Johnson's comment . I mean, can you blame him for getting frustrated? It's not like he meant to offend anyone. And honestly, I think the "arrogant" thing was just a slip-up, you know? He's already apologizing and taking it on the chin . What really gets me is how some people are making a big deal out of this . It's just cricket, guys! Let's not forget that Ben Stokes and his team are human beings too, with their own strengths and weaknesses . And yeah, maybe they could've done better in Perth... but we all make mistakes, right?

.. I don't know about these cricket people . I mean, Stokes says he accepts the criticism but also thinks some of it is overboard? Like, fair enough, maybe "arrogant" isn't the best word to use . But then again, what's wrong with a little bit of swagger when you're representing your country? At the end of the day, I think Stokes and his team are just trying to get that Ashes win and make their fans proud .

It's interesting how Mitchell Johnson called them "cocky Poms" though . I mean, I can see why he might feel that way , but maybe England is just trying to own the rivalry? You know, like when we're watching an old Marvel movie and everyone's all like "oh, they're so cheesy!" but really it's still a lot of fun .

Anyway, I'm rooting for England to come back strong and give Australia a run for their money . Bring on the Ashes!

can they not just call it out for what it is? like, if Mitchell Johnson called them cocky poms, shouldn't England be like "yeah we're a bit confident but who cares?" and then have their own spin on it instead of getting all defensive about it? seems to me like they're just trying to one-up each other instead of focusing on the actual game

can you believe stokes is taking it easy on himself ? one match, and he's already making excuses like a pro. but gotta give him credit, the guy owns up to his mistake . though, still think england could've handled the "arrogant" comment from johnson better . they're playing for pride now, not just themselves . hope they can bounce back strong in perth and the rest of the series

I gotta say, I'm a bit surprised by the whole thing . Ben Stokes seems like a cool dude, but calling out Mitchell Johnson for saying England's team is "cocky" feels a bit two-faced . I mean, yeah, maybe "arrogant" wasn't the best choice of words, but come on, it's just a game, right? And what's with the whole Canberra fixture thing, anyway? It's like they're trying to stir up drama . Stokes seems pretty down-to-earth about it, though, and I respect that . The fact that he acknowledges making a mistake shows he's not one of those players who gets their feathers all ruffled .

think australia should chill out a bit, all this drama about england being arrogant is just pissing people off, like whats the big deal? they wanna play a game, let's get on with it . stokes seems like a cool dude who knows how to handle pressure, no hard feelings here