Instances When Calm Cricketers Lost Their Cool On The Field

Originated in England, Cricket is known to be the gentlemen’s game. On many occasions, cricketers both on and off the field have rightly proved this tagline. Their tremendous energy and sportsmanship spirit on the ground have already put so many examples for the new generations. Have things changed from the past?

But the game has come a long way. The current generation players are more aggressive and keep their hearts on their sleeves. They don’t hesitate to give it back and often forgets the thin line of discipline. The likes of Virat Kohli, David Warner, and Brett Lee’s believed in giving back to the opponents.

But there are many cricketers who had control over their mind. The likes of MS Dhoni, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root have set examples of how a player should conduct himself on a cricket field. However, there have been instances when the coolest of cool cricketers have lost their calm.

We at Cricket Addictor will take a look at the nine incidents when calm cricketers lost their cool in the field:

Read More: 5 Retired Cricketers Who Can Still Rock The Stage If Returned To International Cricket

Kumar Sangakkara fight with Younis Khan

Kumar Sangakkara was involved in a heated argument with Younis Khan after the Pakistan captain was ruled not out on 70 by umpire Gamini Silva. Replays showed the Pakistan batsman had nicked Dammika Prasad.

For some moments Sangakkara had a long chat with Younis who initially laughed it off. But, when it persisted he complained to the umpire, only to leave Sangakkara fuming. After the match in 2009, both the cricketers had played down the incident.

The former Sri Lanka skipper is generally one of the nicest guys one will ever see in the cricket field. Sangakkara has led his life as an example both on and off the cricket field. It was a one-off incident when the wicket-keeper batsman lost his cool.

Matt Prior breaks window at Lord’s

England cricketers are generally known to have their aggression on their sleeves. But former English wicket-keeper batsman Matt Prior was a rare breed who had a calm and composed on-field behaviour throughout his career.

However, there was one incident when Prior lost his cool and broke the window of the Lord’s Cricket Stadium. The incident happened when Prior was run out for four on the final day at Lord’s Test against Sri Lanka in 20111.

When he returned to the dressing-room Prior broke the window panes of Lord’s dressing room. ICC reprimanded the wicket-keeper batsman and later he along with the then skipper Andre Strauss apologised to the crowd.

Fight between Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja

Discarded India cricketer Suresh Raina is among the coolest cricketers to have played for India in the 21st century. There have been very few instances when Raina has lost his cool in a cricket field. He has played the game gracefully and is one of the loved cricketers.

The incident happened after Raina failed to take Sunil Narine’s catch on two occasions. Ravindra Jadeja, after dismissing Narine with the penultimate delivery of the 34th over, rushed towards Raina and said a few harsh things to which the left-handed batsman reacted angrily.

Stand-in-skipper Virat Kohli and senior cricketer Ishant Sharma had to intervene to stop the fight. But once the match got over, Raina was seen walking up to Jadeja, putting his hand around his neck and trying to explain for the dropped catches.

MS Dhoni’s argument with umpire

In an ODI against Australia during the 2011-12 tour at Brisbane, when on-field umpires overturned the third umpire’s call, MS Dhoni was furious. The wicketkeeper appealed for a possible stumping against Mike Hussey on Suresh Raina’s bowling.

The on-field officials referred the decision to the third umpire. Though the replays from one of the angles showed that Hussey’s back leg was just behind the crease, he was adjudged out. However, the on-field umpires, having seen the replays on the big screen in the stadium, called the Australian back.

This outrageous incident from the umpires extracted a reaction from Dhoni, who is usually well-known for his calm and composed attitude. The incident didn’t go well the umpires and they had to caution Dhoni for his untoward behaviour.

Jacques Kallis’ fight with Kemar Roach

Very few can get on the nerves of legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis, such was his composure in the cricket field. He is one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the cricket game and he played with immense grace.

However, there was once such instance when Kallis lost his cool completely in 2019 when South Africa took on West Indies in the third Test. Fast bowler Kemar Roach repeatedly walked up to and exchanged words with the batsman after testing him with a series of bouncers.

Kallis also didn’t hold himself back and gave a mouthful which irked the fast bowler more. He continued to come back and engage with Kallis required the intervention of the umpires and West Indies fielders to come under control. The match referee sanctioned Roach with a Level 1 offence.

Rahul Dravid losing his cool

Rahul Dravid is one of the nicest guys in the history of cricket. From his behaviour on the field to his flawless character off the field, Dravid has always been a great ambassador of the game. The former India skipper is the perfect example of a gentleman in the game.

Throughout his long playing career, Dravid never got involved in any act of sledging on the field. But, during the Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan on 19th September 2004, there was a verbal fight involving Rahul Dravid and Shoaib Akhtar.

Akhtar was constantly saying something to Dravid which made the coolest of all also to lose his calm. The fight got so intense that Inzamam-ul-Haq had to intervene to calm down Dravid and push him to the other side.

Mahela Jayawardene fight with Australia

The former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene is one of the coolest cricketers to have played for Sri Lanka. He has been responsible to bind the Sri Lankan team together for almost a decade. He worked as the catalyst and has led the team to greater heights.

However, during the second Twenty20 against Australia at Melbourne, Jayawardene completely lost himself with only one ball to go in the game. The problems appeared to begin when a large group of Sri Lanka players gathered for a conference before the final ball of the match when Glenn Maxwell needed four off Thisara Perera.

Maxwell was left stranded which extracted a reaction to him to which Mahela Jayawardene responded in kind. It continued even after Australia failed to secure the victory. The ill-feeling continued when Matthew Wade engaged in some verbals with Jayawardene before George Bailey had to intervene and pull his players back.

Inzamam-ul-Haq’s dissent after getting out obstructing the field

Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq is one of the star batsmen to have played for their country. Besides, he maintained a good conduct in the field throughout his career and always had respect for opposition players.

The worst reaction from Inzamam during a game against India in Peshawar in 2006. It was anything but funny for him when the Indians had appealed for obstruction as he gently tapped the ball like a defensive stroke when Suresh Raina, from mid-on, had thrown the ball back at him.

He had stepped out of his crease while in the motion of playing the stroke and was languidly going back to his crease when the incident happened. Inzamam had a heated exchange with umpire Simon Taufel and Asad Rauf before walking off the field in anger.

Sunil Gavaskar fumes off the pitch

In the 1981 series that had been dogged by some inconsistent umpiring, a Dennis Lillee in-cutter caught Gavaskar plumb in front and umpire Rex Whitehead, standing in just his third Test, raised the finger.

But Gavaskar, who thought that the ball had got his bat on the way to the pad, protested by standing his ground long enough. As Gavaskar reluctantly started to leave, Denis Lillee reportedly made one comment too many, and the Indian snapped, returned to the crease and instructed fellow opener, Chetan Chauhan, to walk off the pitch with him.

Later on, after repeated efforts from the manager and Chauhan, Gavaskar left the field. The legendary Indian batters, who was normally calm and composed lost his composure badly during the game which also remains as a dent in the gentlemen’s game.