England opener Jonny Bairstow said that asking the fans not to boo Steve Smith and David Warner makes no sense, citing that they will react however they want.
Coming on the back of a year-long ban following the ball-tampering saga, both Smith and Warner came in the midst of heavy backlash from the fans as they took to the field at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Several players, including the Indian captain Virat Kohli and England international James Anderson, pleaded the fans to stop performing the antic, but Bairstow believes that it is completely pointless.
“I’ve read that Justin Langer and Virat Kohli have asked supporters not to boo Steve Smith and Warner. I’m not sure that makes any difference,” England opening batsman Bairstow wrote in a column for The Telegraph.
“The fans will react however they want, particularly in the Ashes (which begins on Aug. 1 in Edgbsaton). It is a bit pointless pleading with them not to boo Smith or Warner.”
Bairstow pointed out one incident which dates back to 2013 when Australia’s then coach, Darren Lehmann was quite vocal about Stuart Broad and said he hopes “Australian public give it to him right from the word go for the whole summer and I hope he cries, and he goes home.”
“There is a fine line as well. There was a time not that long ago when the then Australia coach, Darren Lehmann, was telling the Australia crowd to send Stuart Broad home crying,” Bairstow said ahead of England’s crunch World Cup match against Australia on Tuesday.
“I’m sure it was not meant maliciously but for Australians then to say ‘do not boo these guys’ is interesting. It has to work both ways, it can’t just all be one way.
“I’m not saying it is right or wrong. But to have the mentality (that) ‘we can do it to you, but you cannot do it to us’ is a bit strange.”
England, coming on the back of a disheartening defeat to Sri Lanka, take on Australia on Tuesday at the home of cricket, Lord’s. If the Three-Lions tend to get a place in the semi-final, they will have to win at least one of their remaining three group stage fixtures.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Cricket World Cup
