Ollie Robinson Opens Up About Conversation with Usman Khawaja Following Edgbaston Send-Off

Following the ‘Brumbrella’ field setup from Ben Stokes, Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off-stump in the first innings. By that point, Khawaja had scored 141 runs, bringing Australia very close to England’s first-inning score of 393 runs.

Giving Khawaja such a dramatic send-off after he quietly went about his business to smash his first Test century in England was not well received, and the 29-year-old had to face a lot of wrath.

Robinson has explained and defended his decision, claiming that it was made in the heat of the moment. Moreover, Khawaja’s wicket was an important point in the game.

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“I didn’t realise the Ussie [Usman Khawaja] send-off was such a big thing until I got off the pitch to find my phone blowing up with mates texting me and it all going off. I just got caught up in the moment. I was desperate for a wicket; I hadn’t bowled that well in the first innings, I’d had that slip in my second over and lost a bit of confidence, and then I was trying to feel my way back in a little bit, having not played much for a while. And obviously Ussie was the big wicket, he was playing beautifully. It was nothing against Ussie, it was just one of those things, I got caught up in the moment and let myself go,” said Robinson in his column for Wisden.

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Robinson also said that he discussed the situation with Khawaja, who simply advised him to be careful what he says. Robinson also stated that he gets along well with Khawaja.

“We’ve all seen it with Jimmy [Anderson], Broady, [Glenn] McGrath, Brett Lee. All the bowlers do it when they’re fired up and trying to get a wicket for their team. I spoke to Ussie after as well and we were all good. He was just like, “Mate, just be careful what you say.” It was nothing against him and we had a good chat. He’s a nice guy and I’ve always gotten on well with him, having played against him a few times,” said Robinson.

“I think in those big moments I sometimes forget where I am. And there’s a thousand cameras on me! I’m not normally an explicit sort of person when I get a wicket, it’s normally just a big roar, or my eyes go a bit crazy. Anyway I’ve definitely learned my lesson!” Robinson wrote.

Also Read: What Steps Must England Take to Win the Ashes? (cricfiles.com)

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