Broad questioned the Australian team's cultural change since the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
Bairstow was dismissed in a bizarre manner during the 52nd over of England’s second innings. Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped him out when he was wandering out of his crease after ducking a Cameron Green bouncer.
Ever since the incident, the English media and their former cricketers have slammed the Australian team for not keeping with the spirit of the game.
Now, veteran England pacer Stuart Broad has joined the bandwagon, questioning the visitors’ cultural change since the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
“What amazed me, and what I told the Australians I could not believe as we left the field at lunch, was that not one senior player among them … questioned what they had done,” Broad wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
“Especially given what their team has been through over recent years, with all their cultural change. Not one of them said: ‘Hang on, lads. I’m not really sure about this.’ Not one of them thought: ‘He’s gaining no advantage. He’s not trying to get a run. It’s the end of the over. It’s a bit of a random dismissal. We should cancel that appeal.'”
Broad claimed that Australian captain Pat Cummins is going to regret the decision once the emotion settles.
“Ultimately, Pat Cummins is a really great guy and I would be amazed, once the emotion settles, if he does not sit back and think, ‘I got that one wrong’, even though his bottom line at the time was winning a Test match,” Broad said.
“I was angered by Australia’s decision, particularly having heard their lines about creating a new legacy as a team, and how they have changed since the tour of South Africa in 2018,” he added.
“I just said to Pat on repeat: ‘All these boos are for you, for your decision.’ And: ‘What a great opportunity you had to think clearly’.”
Stuart Broad also rubbished the comparison of a viral clip showing Bairstow attempting a similar stumping to dismiss Australia’s No.3 Marnus Labuschagne on Day 3 at Lord’s.
“Yes, I have seen a clip from earlier in the match when in his guise as wicketkeeper, Jonny himself threw the ball at the stumps. But that was because Marnus Labuschagne was batting outside of his crease — in doing so, attempting to take the lbw out of the game. In other words, seeking an advantage.”
Having lost the first two Tests, England are trailing 0-2 to Australia in the five-match Ashes series. The third Test will get underway on July 6 at Headingley.