10 Memorable And Controversial Dressing Room Incidents

The dressing room of the cricketers is a place where cricketers share their camaraderie, celebrate some ground-breaking victories, and also where coaches and captains motivate their players in times of distress. The dressing room cultures is often considered very integral to any player’s development and even the entire side’s. But there are also stories when controversial and memorable incidents take place within the dressing room.

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Some happenings get limited to the four walls and the ones that usually come out, are revealed by the players or coaches via press conferences or media events. It is entirely in their interest to disclose it depending upon the magnitude of the incident or the agreement with team management. Over the years, plenty of such occurrences have transpired.

We take a look at ten controversial and memorable cricket dressing room incidents:

Matt Prior breaking the glass:

Former English wicketkeeper Matt Prior blood boiled at the Lord’s in 2011 against Sri Lanka, having been ran-out by Ian Bell. Moments after Prior made his way to the dressing room; there was a smashing sound heard across the ground with spectators assuming it was a broken plate in a hospitality box.

In reality, it was the keeper-batsman hammering his bat on the window of the iconic Lord’s pavilion. The spectators below the dressing room were full of glass after his bat sabotaged the window following his run-out. Before beginning their fielding innings, captain Andrew Strauss and Prior apologised for the same.

Damien Martyn scandal:

A statement revealed by England fast bowler James Anderson said that he attached Michael Clarke with a batsman’s pad in the dressing room post an Ashes Test, having incited by his teammate Damien Martyn.

The prolific Test wicket-taker said in his autobiography, Jimmy: My Story “that he took to the then Australian No.6 batsman, in the home dressing room at the Adelaide Oval following Australia’s six-wicket win during the 2006/07 Ashes.”

The same Ashes series was known for England’s 5-0 defeat down under while Damien Martyn retired at the end of that series. The likes of Justin langer, Shane Warne, and Glenn McGrath also called it a day from Test cricket.

MS Dhoni gets emotional in the dressing room:

MS Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket was undoubtedly one of the saddest moments. While it can be termed as a good move, his exit from the longest version was a tough void to fill. Regarding the same, the former Indian captain announced to the dressing room after the Melbourne Test in 2014 against Australia.

Dhoni’s words quoted as “I can’t play all formats anymore, so I’m announcing my retirement from Tests.” India had lost that Test series by 0-2 and the one before that in England by 3-1. The 38-year old played 90 Tests and captained India in 60 fixtures, enjoying 27 wins and 18 losses.

Yusuf Pathan slaps a spectator:

Yusuf Pathan was one of the most swashbuckling batsmen in the Indian setup. While Pathan couldn’t be a consistent fixture in the Indian team, he played several whirlwind innings and last featured for the national team in 2012.

And there was an incident during a game in the Ranji 2014 season when the spectators kept passing obscene comments against Pathan and other teammates. The all-rounder was in no mood to let that allegedly slapped the youngster twice inside the dressing room, having summoned him.

Greg Chappell’s letter to BCCI:

During the 2005 Zimbabwe tour, the then Indian coach Greg Chappell sent a mail to BCCI, declaring him mentally and physically unfit to lead the Indian team. The Australian went on to say that Ganguly’s attitude would hamper India’s preparations for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and that his injuries were imaginary.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was a key member of the side back then said as well that while the southpaw was batting in the middle, Chappell was typing an email against him sitting at the dressing room.

Pakistan’s fielding coach vacating the position during the 2015 World Cup:

After the 2007 World Cup, Pakistan went through another controversy in the 2015 edition. It was their fielding coach Grant Luden on this occasion, who reportedly dropped in his resignation and withdrew the same following misbehaviour from three senior players.

According to media reports, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, and Ahmed Shehzad failed to co-operate with him during a training session. Luden even complained to Shahriyar Khan that some of the players obstructed their job. The men in green’s campaign eventually ended at the quarter-final of that tournament, having lost to Australia.

Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior saga:

Kevin Pietersen was arguably one of the best batsmen produced by England, but controversies followed him frequently. In his book, KP: The Autobiography, the South African-born claimed how Matt Prior’s stint as England’s vice-captain spelt nothing but terror.

Pietersen admitted that he would yell, scream, and hurl abuses at the fielders for dropping catches and committing errors. His statement in the book read as “I had been friends with Cheese (Prior). Now he was slowly losing any sense of himself as he turned up the volume and made himself the main man of the dressing room.”

Shoaib Akhtar on Wasim Akram vs Waqar Younis argument:

In Shoaib Akhtar’s autobiography “Controversially Yours”, the Rawalpindi Express described in detail the feud between Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. It transpired before the Asian Test Championship match in 1999 in Kolkata that ultimately led to Shoaib Akhtar’s selection.

Shoaib claimed that the argument escalated in a way in the dressing room that word began to spread of Waqar was to be sent home. With the two senior players at loggerheads, the young and fresh team were in stress and finally, the decision was that Shoaib would play.

“Meanwhile, we lost the Delhi Test and Wasim got into an argument with Waqar. It got so bad that rumour started doing rounds that Waqar was to be sent back home. The two seniors were at war and we were a young and fresh team. Everyone was stressed out and amidst all this, it was decided that I would play.”

Shoiab Akhtar’s tiff with Waqar Younis:

After reaching the finals of the 1999 World Cup, Pakistan couldn’t even make it to the final four of the next edition in 2003. At their exit, Shoaib Akhtar endured a spat with the then captain, Waqar Younis. The loss put everybody in conflict with each other and Shoaib claimed that his fight with Waqar was the only thing Board remembered. He went on to write in his autobiography that he faced an axe along with other players.

“Once again, we were on the losing side, which is never conducive to Pakistani team spirit. The whole lot of us were rubbing each other the wrong way and I got involved in a verbal conflict with Waqar, which of course was the only thing board remembered later – not my record, mind you. I was sacked along with other players, including Waqar.”

Percy enters the Indian dressing room:

Percy Abeysekera, Sri Lanka cricket team’s oldest fan and a staunch one claimed that Indian captain Virat Kohli invited him to meet the boys during the second Test in 2015 in Colombo. The invitation provoked him to enter the dressing room, which didn’t go well with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).

Percy later said that there was an ACSU official present, who debarred him from entering the dressing room and that he is not allowed to enter in any of those.

“There was an Indian ACSU official there and he didn’t like me in the dressing room. He asked me to leave and told me I am not allowed to enter either of the dressing rooms. There is no black mark associated with me.”

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