The ongoing series between England and Bangladesh is producing heat on and off the field as current and former English players commented over the on-field incident between visiting skipper Jos Buttler and Bangladesh players.
During the second one-day international at Mirpur on Sunday, Buttler was given leg before wicket after Tigers sought a review that made them ecstatic.
But during their celebration Buttler approached towards them aggressively before both the umpires intervened to restrain him.
Former English fast bowler Steve Harmison told to talksport, an English sports radio, that If it was Stokes instead of Buttler he wouldn’t have left the pitch with his bat.
‘I’m just pleased they didn’t do it to Stokes at the other end because I’m not sure he would have still had a bat in his hand,’ said Harmison.
‘I think I would have kicked off seeing what I’ve seen, I don’t like that.
‘When you celebrate it’s fine, over a run out or from the third umpire and you’ve seen it on the big screen or you see the umpires decision being changed and you see a huddle and they celebrate, and they do celebrate they jump up and down and it’s great.
‘The enthusiasm is great, we’ve got a wicket, but not the way they did it to Jos Butler, they were in his face.’
Meanwhile, former England captain Nasir Hussain, who is now in Bangladesh as a Television commentator, praised Buttler for his aggression.
‘It was great to see Jos do that,’ said Hussain to Sky Sports. ‘I’ve never seen that from Jos. He’s so calm and so calculated.
‘It’s nice to see that he’s got a different side. Sometimes he may have to rein it in.’
Nasir termed Buttler’s attitude as outcome of the heat of the battle and praised the passion of the caption.
‘I saw it as a captain who was trying to win a game for his team who has been quite brilliant out here and in the heat of battle these things happen,’ he said.
‘He probably pushed the limit and he probably went over the top. But I’d rather have a captain like that who cared and gave it absolutely everything.
‘Plus the atmosphere and the crowd and the hostile nature of the crowd, I think sometimes things do boil over,’ said Hussain.