Former India opener Aakash Chopra has said that the environment in the Lord’s Long Room was like a fish market after the patrons there booed the Australian team after Jonny Bairstow’s stumped dismissal on day five of the second Ashes 2023 Test.
Following a Cameron Green delivery, Bairstow was given out after leaving his crease, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey hit the stumps to complete the dismissal. The umpires determined that Bairstow did not signal before leaving the crease and was given out, despite the opinion of England supporters that the ball was dead.
The crowd booed the Australia cricketers after the dismissal and even some members of Lord's confronted Usman Khawaja and David Warner at the Long Room.
Aakash Chopra, a former Indian cricket team opener, expressed displeasure with the entire situation and compared the setting to a "fish market."
"There was almost a scuffle-like situation in the legendary Long Room at Lord's. What does this mean and where does it go from here? It is a big question because if you are seeing this at the home of cricket, then it is a bit of a problem. It seemed like a fish market," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"They were making so much noise for that one run-out when the Australian players were going upstairs. If you have been given out rightly based on the law, that is where the debate must end but it did not end there and that's the problem,” he added.
The MCC rendered an unconditional apology to the Australian team and later three members were also suspended for their behavior.
"These are the traditions at Lord's, the Mecca of cricket, where players go through the members in the Long Room. There have been people with civilised behavior until now, they clap as well and are happy too, that's what England's culture has been so far but this one decision has made them go up in arms.
The spectators suddenly found everything wrong in it although the truth is that it is Marylebone Cricket Council (MCC)'s home as well. They only have made the laws. What is your problem if someone follows the laws that have been made there only?" he further stated.
The third Ashes 2023 Test begins on July 6 at Headingley.
(NDTV inputs)
