In a game where passions run high, Alex Carey, Australia’s wicketkeeper, found himself on the harsh end of cricket fervour. During the Ashes series, a moment on the field turned into a storm off it, as Carey became the target of online trolls. He’s finally spoken up about how the ordeal impacted not just him but also his family.
Let’s wind the clock back a bit. On Day 5 of the second Test, England’s Jonny Bairstow stepped out of his crease after dodging a bouncer from Cameron Green. Seizing the moment, Carey aimed and knocked the stumps down, causing Bairstow’s dismissal. While this was a standard play, the Internet exploded with harsh criticism aimed at Carey. Interestingly, it’s often the player who makes a mistake that faces the backlash, but this time it was Carey who was in the firing line.
Realizing the extent of the online abuse, Cricket Australia’s cyber police stepped in for an investigation. It’s a sad commentary on the state of sportsmanship today that such steps had to be taken. Carey himself wasn’t too keen on delving into the abusive comments. “You don’t really need to see them,” he said, emphasizing that the trolling became so nasty that comments had to be deleted.
However, the impact didn’t just stop at him. Carey revealed the difficulty of watching his family become targets. Imagine the pain of knowing that your loved ones are getting dragged into an unnecessary mess simply for being related to you. “Initially again, if your wife jumps online and you see [you] getting abused or even them getting abused for being your wife and kids, you probably don’t take it too well,” Carey said candidly.
Alex Carey has had a tough time after Jonny Bairstow’s stumping in Ashes 2023
So what did he do? Carey decided to unplug. He deleted his Instagram account temporarily and shifted his focus on being present with his family. In times of turmoil, it’s often best to go back to your roots, and that’s exactly what Carey did.
Amid all this, let’s not forget that Carey had a strong performance in the Ashes 2023. He was rock-solid behind the stumps and even contributed a respectable 200 runs in five innings. Australia, as a team, managed to retain the Ashes, finishing the series with a scoreline of 2-2 against England.
“I didn’t really look into it much; I didn’t have to. I had a lot of people looking at it and monitoring it. You don’t really need to see them. A lot of comments got deleted. It did get pretty nasty from reports. Initially again, if your wife jumps online and you see (you) getting abused or even them getting abused for being your wife and kids, you probably don’t take it too well,” Carey said.
“But 24 hours or 48 hours after that, things simmer down and you understand you’ve done nothing wrong and nothing changes. I actually deleted Instagram for a week or so and just put the phone down and focused on being present with the family,” he added.
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The episode brings up bigger questions about online culture and the lack of boundaries when it comes to fan interactions. Carey’s story is a stark reminder that players are not just figures on a television screen, but human beings with families and feelings.
So as we look forward to more cricketing action, perhaps it’s also time for some introspection among fans. As for Carey, it seems like he’s got his head back in the game, but also knows where his heart truly belongs— with his family.
