During the Manchester Test of the Ashes 2023, a surprising incident unfolded in the commentator box. Former England captain, Nasser Hussain, found himself in the spotlight when he slapped his ex-teammate and co-commentator, Mark Butcher on his head.
Butcher critiqued Hussain’s captaincy decision during England’s 2002 tour of Australia. During the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Hussain had chosen to bowl first. Despite the pitch offering considerable bounce and Gabba being known as Australia’s fortress, Hussain chose to bowl.
As the match progressed, it became evident that this decision proved costly for the English side. The Australian batters capitalized on the drop catches and piled up a massive total of 492 runs in their first innings. The Steve Waugh-led team eventually won the match by a whopping 384 runs, gaining crucial momentum early in the series.
Fast forward to the ongoing Ashes in 2023, with Hussain now in the commentator box during the fourth Test, Butcher took the opportunity to revisit and criticize that captaincy decision from more than two decades ago. This prompted an unexpected reaction from Hussain, who responded by slapping Butcher during live commentary.