Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott has urged the visitors not to let the negative talk in the newspapers affect them during the upcoming Ashes series. The 85-year-old said that England will need to “steel themselves” from the words written in the Australian press, admitting that some of it could be downright “nasty”.

“The West Australian” newspaper had called Ben Stokes “Cocky Captain Complainer” after he reached the country, a fortnight before the first Ashes Test at Perth on November 21.

“Then there are the Australian newspapers, who have already started having digs at Stokes. If you think our journalists offer criticism, then you ain’t seen nothing until you go on an England tour of Australia.”

“It is mainly negative coverage, some of it downright nasty, and it will continue thr

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