England pacer Ollie Robinson has revealed the chat he had with Australia’s Usman Khawaja during the first Ashes Test which was played at Edgbaston and won by the visitors by 2 wickets. Khawaja was adjudged Player of the Match as well, for his knocks of 141 and 65.
Robinson had given a filth-laden send-off to Khawaja after he had dismissed him in Australia‘s first innings after his splendid century. However, his gestures and words were not appreciated by the Australian media and former Kangaroos cricketers with legends like Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden heavily criticizing the English pacer.
In his column in Wisden, Robinson said that he didn't expect it to become such a big thing until he got off the pitch that day and saw his phone blown up with messages.
"I didn’t realize the Ussie [Usman Khawaja] send-off was such a big thing until I got off the pitch to find my phone blowing up with mates texting me and it all going off. I just got caught up in the moment. I was desperate for a wicket; I hadn’t bowled that well in the first innings, I’d had that slip in my second over and lost a bit of confidence, and then I was trying to feel my way back in a little bit, having not played much for a while. And obviously, Ussie was the big wicket, he was playing beautifully. It was nothing against Ussie, it was just one of those things, I got caught up in the moment and let myself go," Robinson wrote.
Robinson went on to explain that he afterwards talked to Khawaja and cleared the air with him. He claimed that the Australian opener advised him to watch what he said and that they had a good conversation.
"We’ve all seen it with Jimmy [Anderson], Broady, [Glenn] McGrath, Brett Lee. All the bowlers do it when they’re fired up and trying to get a wicket for their team. I spoke to Ussie after as well and we were all good. He was just like, “Mate, just be careful what you say.” It was nothing against him and we had a good chat. He’s a nice guy and I’ve always gotten on well with him, having played against him a few times," said Robinson.
Robinson admitted that he had learnt his lesson after the incident.
"I think in those big moments I sometimes forget where I am. And there are a thousand cameras on me! I’m not normally an explicit sort of person when I get a wicket, it’s normally just a big roar, or my eyes go a bit crazy. Anyway I’ve definitely learned my lesson!" said Robinson.
The second Test between the two sides will begin on June 28 at the Lord's.
(Wisden inputs)
