Ollie Robinson, the fast bowler from England, has faced severe criticism from several former Australian players for sledging and especially his aggressive and profanity-laden outburst directed at Usman Khawaja during the first Test of the Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston. In the first innings, Khawaja scored an impressive 141 runs before Robinson managed to dismiss him. As Khawaja trudged off, Robinson gave him a real mouthful and this behaviour did not go down well with former Australian cricketers. Robinson repeated his behaviour in the second innings when he once again targeted Khawaja. But for England these tactics did not contribute to their success, as they ultimately lost the match.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, condemned Robinson for his fiery send-off, while Matthew Hayden did not hold back in labelling the English pacer as a “forgettable cricketer.” During a conversation with Ian Healy, Hayden openly criticised Robinson’s actions.

Ricky Ponting reacts

“That’s how you combat England as well. As soon as Pat Cummins started coming at Joe Root and hit a couple of sixes,” said the former Australian opener. 

Healy asked, “Are you talking about Ollie Robinson?” to which Hayden responded, “Someone like him, you can just say, ‘Brother, I’m coming at you.'”

Robinson not bothered with criticism

Hayden and Ponting were not the only cricketers displeased with Robinson’s antics. However, the England pacer retaliated against his critics, claiming that he simply didn’t “care” about the criticism. He added that such confrontations were inevitable in the context of the high-stakes Ashes series.

Robinson dismissed concerns about the reaction he received for his verbal attack, asserting that such incidents are to be expected in a high-profile series like Ashes.

Robinson mentioned that it was his inaugural home Ashes match and expressed how significant it was for him to secure the crucial wicket at that moment. According to him, Usman Khawaja displayed exceptional skills with the bat, making the wicket even more valuable for their team. He emphasised the importance of having the dramatic aspect in the game, stating that everyone desires it. Robinson stated his intention to contribute to that theater of the game.

Robinson also indicated that he was not particularly concerned about how his actions were perceived. In his view, Ashes represents a high-level professional sport, and if individuals are unable to handle the intensity it entails, he questioned their ability to handle anything at all.