“You’re cra*p, you’re sh*t,” Usman Khawaja feels Bazball gave rise to aggressive football-like crowd

Usman Khawaja, the Australian opening batsman, said that the Ashes 2023 crowd in England was the "worst" he has ever seen.

“You’re cra*p, you’re sh*t,” Usman Khawaja feels Bazball gave rise to aggressive football-like crowd

Usman Khawaja (Image via ESPN)

Usman Khawaja, the Australian opener during the Ashes 2023 series, was left speechless by the severe enmity he experienced from England’s spectators. Khawaja found the environment at Edgbaston to be hostile, calling it as “far worse” than anything he had previously encountered. He suggested that the impact of the Bazball mindset may have contributed to the football-like behavior of the audience. The cricketer was struck by the unsportsmanlike wordings and continuous sledging he faced, a departure from the typical behavior of cricket crowds.

During the Lord’s Test, Usman Khawaja came across the members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the Big Room, which was a sudden turn of events. He had anticipated the etiquette of cricket’s “gold standard”, but was instead met with hostility. Khawaja, who is known for his courtesy, stated that he would not tolerate such conduct without defending himself.

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“That crowd this time was far worse than anything I’ve ever experienced,” Khawaja told Wisden. “The vibe was different and it felt more like a football crowd. Maybe Bazball helps to attract a different dynamic. This was constant chat along the lines of, ‘You’re cr*p, you’re sh*t, you’re useless, you can’t score runs here.”

Khawaja justified himself at Edgbaston, despite his previous challenges in England by scoring an impressive century. His impassioned celebration was a release of bottled up anger from his previous Ashes tours, during which he frequently felt neglected despite his achievements. Also, Khawaja’s outstanding performance, in which he he made an amazing 496 runs in the series, was crucial to keep Australia alive in the Ashes.

Also read : “I think cricket should be played like that”, Kapil Dev wants India to be more aggressive and play Tests like “wonderful” Bazball

Usman Khawaja, an Australian opener, now holds the record for the greatest batting average in test history.

"You're cra*p, you're sh*t,'' Usman Khawaja feels Bazball gave rise to aggressive football-like crowd
Usman Khawaja (Image via ESPN)

Usman Khawaja accomplished a spectacular accomplishment in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval in the Ashes 2023 series. He now has the highest Australian opener batting average and the second-highest Test average as an opener.

Khawaja batted well in the match. He scored 47 runs off 157 balls, including seven fours, in the first innings. In Australia’s second innings run chase of 384 runs, he scored 72 runs off 145 balls with eight boundaries. Khawaja has opened in 44 Tests for Australia, scoring 2,363 runs at an remarkable average of 60.58 in 45 innings.

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