Out for a fight: Three incidents of cricketers trading blows off the pitch
Cricketers are celebrities whose movements are scrutinized everywhere they go. And in the modern era, and with the advent of social media, every move of a cricketer is watched by millions of people around the world. And, there have been a few incidents where cricketers have been caught off guard.
There have been occasions where cricketers have lost their cool and have been involved in some brawls that grabbed the headlines. In this article, let us take a look at three such incidents.
3. Ben Stokes and the fight in a nightclub
In September 2018, England cricketer Ben Stokes was involved in a nasty fight in a nightclub. In fact, there were reports that state that Ben Stokes had actually punched two men in a scuffle. And, one of them, Mr Ali was even rendered unconscious by Stokes during the fight. Stokes served his ban for the off-field brawl.
Sickening…Ben Stokes punching on…check out this powerful piece by @paulcochrane https://t.co/pHVkk8zU4Y pic.twitter.com/6tEcjQVQpM
— Get ‘Em Onside (@GetEmOnside) September 28, 2017
Stokes is one of the most important members of the England cricket team. He has featured in 71 Test matches and scored 4631 runs at an average of 37.05. Stokes has also picked up 163 wickets with the ball in Test cricket. The England all-rounder also played a vital role for England in the summit clash of the 2019 ODI World Cup and helped the England side lift the World Cup Trophy by smashing 84* off 98 deliveries.
2. David Warner and Joe Root fight
In the year 2013, Australian cricketer David Warner was accused of punching England cricketer Joe Root in a pub. And, Warner was fined a sum of A$11500 for his actions and even issued a public apology for his actions.
David Warner and Joe Root have since then moved on and have gone on to become two of the modern greats of the game. While Root has scored 8617 runs in 103 Test matches at an average of 48.96, David Warner has plundered 7311 runs in Test cricket and has scored his runs at an average of 48.10.
1. Jesse Ryder almost dies in a fight
This was an incident that almost led to the death of a cricketer. New Zealand player Jesse Ryder was involved in a vicious brawl where three men beat him mercilessly, and this attack even led to Ryder spending more than two days in a coma.
Thanks again to everyone for the support esp my good mate scribe. #NotManyIfAny
— Jesse Ryder (@DijaRyder) April 1, 2013
He also reportedly suffered a fractured skull as well. On the cricketing side of things, Ryder featured in 18 Tests, 48 ODIs and 22 T20Is for New Zealand. While he scored 1269 runs in Test cricket, he also plundered 1362 runs in the ODI format of the game. The left-hander also scored 457 runs in T20Is. He played his last international match for New Zealand on 31st January 2014.
