Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad takes dig at Ponting, Hayden after scathing attack from Australia legends

England succumbed to a narrow defeat against Australia at Edgbaston after an enthralling Test match but it was the controversy between Ollie Robinson and Usman Khawaja which has continued to grab headlines and still creating retaliations from both camps.

Khawaja was dismissed by Robinson in the first innings and then the English pacer made an aggressive celebration and went a bit overboard with that.

Australia legends have been quick to latch on to that and criticized the England pacer for his antics. The likes of Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden are among the Aussie legends who went on to dismantle Robinson for his behaviour.

But ahead of the second Test at Lord’s, England pacer Stuart Broad has come in defense of his fellow teammate and took a dig at the Aussie pair. He said Ponting himself was a sledger and admitted he didn’t like Hayden’s ‘disparaging’ comments on Robinson.

“A lot more has been made of words on the field between Ollie Robinson and Usman Khawaja than ought to have been, to be honest. Ultimately, the ICC had no problem with Ollie’s reaction to dismissing Khawaja in the first innings and I didn’t like Matthew Hayden’s disparaging comments about him,” Broad wrote in his column for English outlet Daily Mail.

“Ollie averages 21 with the ball in Test cricket over a decent amount of time and bowls in a very similar way to Glenn McGrath. Yes, there was a bit of emotion on the field, but off it we are obviously seeing the Australian guys in the pavilion corridors all the time, eating lunch in the same room and we enjoyed a nice-natured week. Now a couple of expletives the other way and everyone is piling in. Where are we going with this?” he added.

“Ricky Ponting had a bit of a nibble because Robbo brought his name into things during a press conference, but not because Ricky was a huge sledger. I’m sure it’ll die down pretty quickly, though, because with the teams getting on so well it’s a little bit of an irrelevance,” the English pacer further penned.

Australia have a slender 1-0 lead ahead of the 2nd Test which starts from Wednesday (June 28).