Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Monday busted ex-Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's claims of playing fair and square during their hay days with a sharp-witted Twitter post. On Sunday, Akhtar took to the popular micro-blogging site to criticise Jofra Archer for not tending to Australia batsman Steve Smith, whom the England fast bowler had injured with a vicious bouncer during fourth day's play of the second Ashes 2019 Test at Lord's in London. (Cricket News)
Questioning Archer's conduct after felling one of the greatest batsmen of modern times, Akhtar wrote: "Bouncers are a part & parcel of the game but whenever a bowler hits a batsman on the head and he falls, courtesy requires that the bowler must go & check on him. It was not nice of Archer to just walk away while Smith was in pain. I was always the first one to run to the batsman."
Akhtar was not the only one to condemn Archer indifferent attitude.
Smith, 30, was holding the Aussie fort against England and was nearing his third consecutive century in the series. But he was forced to walk off the pitch, unbeaten on 76 off 150 balls, only to return again and score 92 runs.
In response, Yuvraj wrote, "Yes you did! But your actual words were hope you're alright mate because there are a few more coming."
Yuvraj's reminder to his good friend left many fans impressed.
Akhtar, regarded as the fastest bowler ever to have played cricket, had many run-ins with batsmen during his playing days. But the Pakistan bowler, known as the Rawalpindi Express, was lucky not to have injured his opponents, even though, as Yuvraj has mentioned, he most of the time threatened with more.
The blow ruled Smith out of the match as Marnus Labuschagne became the first concussion substitute in Test history. Labuschagne was also hit on the helmet by Archer on the final day of the Test, which ended in a draw. There are doubts over Smith's availability for the Leeds Test beginning on Thursday.
The incident brought back painful memories of Phillip Hughes' tragic death, and the Australian national team's medical chief on Monday said that compulsory neck guards on helmets for Aussies are "not far away".
They have been at the forefront of pressing for better safety measures after the death of Hughes, who was hit on the base of the skull by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield game in 2014.
