England's Joe Root has given teammate Jonny Bairstow a blunt reality check on the anniversary of his contentious dismissal during the Ashes series last year.
The incident that sparked intense debate occurred when Bairstow was stumped after stepping out of his crease, allowing Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey to hit the stumps. This divided the cricket community, with some accusing Carey of unsportsmanlike behaviour while others praised his quick thinking.
In a new documentary series, "The Ashes 2023: Our Take," which provides behind-the-scenes insights into the England camp during the five-match series, Root shared his thoughts on the dismissal. He admitted that although he was initially angry, he understood the situation better over time. Root acknowledged that, although he would like to believe he would have acted differently, he might have done the same thing, emphasising that the play was within the rules of the game.
Root added that players should always be aware of their positioning and mentioned that Bairstow might dislike hearing it, but staying in the crease would have prevented the dismissal.
Bairstow’s stumping at Lord’s led to heated reactions from the crowd, resulting in a lifetime ban for one spectator and suspensions for two others due to abuse towards the Australian players. Recently dropped from the Test squad to face the West Indies, Bairstow gave a measured response in the documentary, suggesting that the rightness or wrongness of the incident is subjective and emphasised the importance of self-respect.
Stuart Broad, another key player involved in the uproar, confessed to expressing anger towards several Australian players and admitted that his behaviour had performative aspects. He recalled feeling genuine rage for about ten minutes and continuing with a theatrical display for hours, claiming that this moment energised the series and strengthened fan support.
Ultimately, the series concluded in a 2-2 draw, allowing Australia to retain the Ashes urn.