Disappointing that post Ashes drinks was scrutinised in the public: Jason Gillespie

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has opened up on the recent video of the England players joining  the Australian players in a drinking session. Joe Root, James Anderson from England alongside Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon from Australia were spotted in the video drinking together and they were asked to return to their hotel rooms by Police at 6 AM on January 17 having been complained of making loud noises.

It wasn’t welcome in a good manner in the public as the two teams had recently completed the most talked about Ashes series and England had suffered a massive 0-4 defeat at the hands of Australia. Recently, the Australian side had bumped into England’s barmy army during the Ashes celebration at a pub in Hobart and the two groups were happy to sing songs together.

The quarantine and bio bubble restrictions are still being strictly followed and the players have been tested a lot as well physically and mentally.

Jason Gillespie feels the players should be respected for battling out in Ashes

Gillespie reckoned that it was unfair to scrutinize players for the drinking session with their opponents as he saw the positive aspect of it by building up friendships. He added that it has brought wrong projection of the players and explained the reason of the players staying up so late at night.

“Playing Ashes cricket allows great rivalries but also great friendships to form and so it was disappointing that the post-series drinks shared by Joe Root, Jimmy Anderson and some Australian players was scrutinised in the public domain this week.

“Some of the focus was on the fact that they were out until 6am but you must remember the game didn’t finish until 10.30 at night and the teams were still in the dressing rooms until the early hours before heading back to their hotel,” wrote Gillespie in his column for Daily Mail on Sunday.

Gillespie also noted the difficulties of staying in the bio bubble for more than seven weeks and felt the players needed some time off as well. He added that the conversation would have been very healthy between the players and reckoned that there was a lot to feed off each other’s experience in the game.

“Arguably it would not have been given such projection but for the emergence of video footage but what should be remembered is that these guys had given their all in Ashes battle over seven weeks of living in restricted bubbles, they were being respectful to their opponents and observed all the COVID protocols. This was a private interaction between fellow pro-sportsmen.” he added.