David Warner mocked England ahead of the Ashes, saying they would tour Australia hoping only for a “moral victory.”
Former Australian batter David Warner has stirred pre-Ashes excitement by taunting England, claiming they will tour Australia seeking only a “moral victory.” The remark followed England opener Zak Crawley expressing irritation at the phrase, which some fans traced back to teammate Harry Brook during the 2023 Ashes.
“The Australian way because we’re playing for the Ashes and they’re playing for a moral victory. There’s your headline,” Warner said.
No Sledging Against Ben Stokes
David Warner also encouraged his teammates to take part in on-field banter and sledging during the 2025 Ashes, while keeping England captain Ben Stokes out of it. Stokes is aiming to be fit for the series opener in Perth on November 21. This will be his first Ashes campaign in Australia as captain.
READ ALSO | “Celebrate Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma While We Can”: Anil Kumble Amid ODI Future Uncertainty
“I had the fortunate privilege to share a change room with him when he was younger and he has evolved into a serious cricketer and a fantastic leader. If we can sort of not poke that bear and get him up and about, I think that will help the Australians enormously,” Warner said at a Fox Sports event.
“But I do want to see some bantering out on the field and I want to see them going at each other a little bit—obviously not at Stokes—because that is what creates that energy and involvement in the game. I think that is where the war of words comes out. Generally, it is someone like myself who is starting it, but I want to see someone else in the Australian camp start something, whether it is Heady (Travis Head) or someone else,” he concluded.
Last Updated on October 13, 2025
