Australia coach Justin Langer said the team will have to watch over Steve Smith and David Warner’s wellfare against fans in World Cup.
Australia’s head coach Justin Langer stated that batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner’s wellfare will need to be taken care of against hecklers in World Cup. “There’s not too many I’ve met in my life who like being booed or heckled or disliked so...they’re human beings.”
The Smith and Warner duo comes back after a year-long ban following a ball-tampering saga during the Test series against South Africa in 2018.
“We’re going to have to care for them, we’re going to have to put an arm around them and make sure they’re going okay. But what people say, whether it’s in the crowd or social media or wherever, there’s nothing they can do about that, they can’t control it but what we can do is keep an eye on them and make sure they’re going okay as people as much as cricketers,” Langer continued.
Meanwhile, England all-rounder Moeen Ali hopes that there will be good reception for the duo in the World Cup.
“I really hope they don’t get too much stick. I want them to enjoy the series,” Ali said in an interview to the Guardian.
“If you have to, keep it funny, not personal. We all make mistakes. We are human beings and we have feelings. I know deep down they are probably really good people. I just hope they get treated decently. I just want the cricket to be spoken about.”
The duo showed their skills and marked their return in the recently concluded Indian T20 League. Smith was named captain of Rajasthan Royals in their last few games where he scored 319 runs at over 39. On the other hand, Warner was named as the tournament’s top scorer with 692 runs.
The ICC Cricket World Cup will start on May 30 and end on July 14 at Lord’s cricket grounds in northwest London.. Australia will play against Afghanistan on June 6.
