One Year On: Joe Root Admits He Could Have Easily Stumped Rival Like Bairstow
In a revealing documentary about England’s 2023 Ashes campaign, star batter Joe Root has confessed that he could have easily carried out the controversial stumping of teammate Jonny Bairstow, which sparked hostility between the two teams.
Reflecting on the infamous incident where Bairstow was dismissed after leaving his crease too early, Root acknowledged that he might have acted similarly in the heat of the moment. “Initially I was quite angry, but when you’re involved in the game, it’s very difficult to put yourself in the other position,” the England captain said via Fox Sports.
Bairstow’s teammate, Mooen Ali, also chimed in, noting the batter’s tendency to leave his crease early. “I always felt Jonny leaves his crease so early, he leaves the ball and just walks straight down, and I always felt he leaves early,” Ali commented.
“Look, I can’t wait for tomorrow. We’ve been a part of some special things over the last 18 months. And for me, it just feels like it could potentially be one of those amazing days, and someone just stand up and put their name on the board.”
The documentary offers fans an inside look at England’s dressing room during the Lord’s Test, where Bairstow was seen rallying his teammates on the fourth night, with the hosts chasing a daunting 371-run target.
However, Bairstow’s future in the England team has now been cast into doubt, as he has been dropped for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, 12 months after the incident that set tongues wagging.
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