Former England captain Nasser Hussain issued a warning to Ollie Robinson after his unsportsmanlike behaviour towards Australian batsman Usman Khawaja during the ongoing first Test of the Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston. Although Robinson managed to dismiss Khawaja, who had scored an impressive 141 runs off 321 deliveries, including three sixes and 14 fours, his post-dismissal actions, which involved offensive language, drew criticism from Australian fans.
Furthermore, Robinson continued his aggressive behaviour off the field, stating in a press conference that he was unconcerned about how his send-off was perceived. However, Hussain cautioned Robinson, suggesting the latter might face similar treatment when he comes out to bat.
Hussain recalled a conversation with Ben Stokes in Chennai, where they discussed Robinson’s statement of “hammering Australia.” Stokes responded by saying, “Ollie is a confident cricketer.”
Hussain acknowledged the preference for such confidence over the timidness and mental scars of their era when playing against the Australians. However, he emphasized that words have consequences, and when Robinson goes to bat, he should be prepared to face similar behaviour from the opposition.
“I spoke to Ben Stokes in Chennai about Ollie Robinson saying ‘We are going to hammer Australia.’ We almost did a Glenn McGrath. And then Ben just went ‘Well, it’s Ollie being Ollie. He is a confident cricketer.’ You prefer it that way than in our era when the Aussies came and we were all timid and had mental scars and baggage. But words have consequences and when he goes out to bat, he is going to get it as well,” Hussain was quoted as saying to Sky Sports.
Robinson’s actions have sparked a debate about whether his celebration crossed a line or if he was within his rights. Hussain attempted to understand the situation from the player’s perspective and considered it fair enough, given the intense nature of the game.
“There are two strands to the argument. i will never ever have a go at someone who shows emotions in the moment. That’s the game we play. We can sit here with our Latte and our crossaints and go ‘Why is he doing that? Poor old Uzi,'” he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also shared his view from a spectator’s point of view and opined that there was no need for Robinson to celebrate the way he did.
“To give someone a send-off verbally when they’re out, I never really like it. You’ve got him out, he has got a 140 (141). Do you really need to give him a send-off? And then double it down in the press conference? You say ‘I got carried away in the heat of the moment.’,” concluded Hussain.
