Khawaja was at pains not to revisit thoseugly scenes,which are under investigation by the MCC. But he said that there had been a lot of unpleasant language directed at Australian players and their families in England – to the extent that he would have expected other spectators to report it.
The fallout from the reaction to Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping at Lord’s,when the crowd in the stands and MCC members in the pavilion repeatedly booed and chanted “cheat”,prompted extra security ahead of the third Test at Headingley,including surveillance of the players’ and support staff’s families.
But England captain Ben Stokes and other players have been pointed in not asking their crowds to behave.
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“I don’t think I’m in a position to say how those who come and watch us play[should behave],” Stokes said after England’s win at Headingley. “I get asked this a lot and I say I’ve been to Australia a few times myself so,yeah.”
However,as well as calling out behaviour on the current tour,Khawaja urged Australian crowds to be more accommodating to England’s players next time they toured in 2024-25.
“I mean,they’re rough. If you talk about it to England guys,they say we are equally as rough when[they go to Australia]. I don’t agree with it either way,” Khawaja said. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. Personally if I am coming to the cricket and watching the cricket,I wouldn’t want my kids to be around that.