"Jonny Bairstow Dismissal Ignited The Series For Us" - Stuart Broad On Ashes 2023 Drama

Former England pacer Stuart Broad opened up about Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal during the Ashes 2023. He said that the series was ‘ignited’ for them after that happened during the Lord’s Test.

The Ashes 2023 was arguably one of the most competitive series in the Tests that one has witnessed in recent times. The series saw fierce competition between bat and ball and apart from that there was a lot of drama, controversies, and banters between the two teams as well.

One of the controversies that is still fresh in the minds of many was the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow during the Lord’s Test. The keeper-batter got out most unusually and his wicket during that game ignited the spirit of the cricket debate and also saw England players fuming at Australia players.

Jonny Bairstow left the ball and as he moved forward after the ball was in the keeper’s hand, Alex Carey effected the run out from behind. The batter was nowhere near the crease. The umpires gave him out and he was fuming. This triggered a sense of fighting nature in England players and they didn’t go easy on opposition.

Stuart Broad, who played his last Tests in Ashes, recalled the incident, saying that he was stunned at Lord’s lobby booing Australian players. Speaking to Fox Cricket, he explained:

“I walked in with Stokes at lunch and the roar just hit us. The hairs on the back of our necks were standing up — a huge ovation. We turned towards the changing rooms. As we got to the door, the booing came in waves — enough for both of us to stop and say, ‘What’s happened?’. It was the Aussies walking in. It stunned me. I’ve never heard that level of noise in such an enclosed space, and especially in the Long Room.”

But that Jonny Bairstow dismissal ignited the series for us – Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad further while talking about the dismissal said that boos in Lord’s lobby would’ve made Australia realize about the poor decision they made. He added how that dismissal changed the mindset of the England team. He explained:

“It told the Aussie players all they needed to know about the decision they’d made. I know Pat Cummins is a really good guy but we haven’t seen eye-to-eye on a cricket field. My feelings haven’t changed. I’m slightly more relaxed than I was at Lord’s and I do cringe about going into red-mist mode, but I don’t think it was the right decision and I can guarantee Ben Stokes would have made a different one.

“But that Bairstow dismissal ignited the series for us. It dragged out the England-Australia rivalry. We hardly lost a session after it. It brought a bit of needle to the next Test at Leeds. I dismissed David Warner in the first over and emotion got the better of me — I ran at the crowd, yelling.”

Stuart Broad played all five Tests and bagged 22 wickets at an average of 28.41. He ended as career as one of the greatest fast bowlers. The lanky pacer ended his career with 604 wickets to go with 20 five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls in the match.