Ashes 2023 takes new shape as England’s PM Rishi Sunak and Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese engage in banter over Jonny Bairstow runout controversy

After players and media, the Prime Ministers of Australia and England have gotten involved in a banter over Jonny Bairstow's controversial runout.

Ashes 2023 takes new shape as England’s PM Rishi Sunak and Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese engage in banter over Jonny Bairstow runout controversy

Australia and England PMs engage in banter over Jonny Bairstow runout (Images via Wikipedia and The Sun)

The Jonny Bairstow runout or better say stumped-out dismissal has got all the unnecessary attention. Although it has been over two days since Australia thumped England by 43 runs in the second Ashes Test, the talk around Bairstow’s dismissal continues to grow. While earlier the media and the players from the two teams were going against each other, now, the Prime Ministers of the two countries have gotten involved. 

England PM Rishi Sunak and Australia PM Anthony Albanese backed their respective teams while taking a dig at the opposition. While Sunak deemed the act from Australia against the ‘spirit of the game’ and said he would never want his team to win a game like that, Albanese took to Twitter to show his support for the Pat Cummins-led team. 

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“The prime minister agrees with Ben Stokes. He said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did,” a UK PM spokesperson said in a statement. 

“I’m proud of our men’s and women’s cricket teams, who have both won their opening two #Ashes matches against England. Same old Aussies – always winning! Australia is right behind @ahealy77, @patcummins30 and their teams and look forward to welcoming them home victorious,” tweeted Albanese.

Also Read: WATCH: Netizens dig out old video of Brendon McCullum pulling off Alex Carey-like runout as England coach crib over Jonny Bairstow dismissal in Lord’s Test

Why Jonny Bairstow’s runout is being rued so much by England?

bairstow runout second ashes test
Australia celebrate Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal (Image via The Sun)

England have not yet recovered from the dismissal of one of their premier batters who they thought would have won the game for them at Lord’s. Every time England have pulled off a chase like they needed at Lord’s, Jonny Bairstow has made a significant contribution. England hoped he would do the same with Ben Stokes going strong at the other end. But the wicketkeeper batter lost his wicket due to his inattentiveness and the hosts lost the game.

This has hurt England big time as they now trail 0-2 in the five-match series. Although England fans are currently busy blaming Australia, they would soon realize their team has put itself in such a situation and Australia are just benefitting from it. Nevertheless, as Ben Stokes said at the post-match presentation, England would hope to win the next three Tests on the trot and win the series. In case they lose, it will be interesting to see who gets the blame, Bazball or Australia’s smart cricket.

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