Former England captain Michael Vaughan has come out in support of current limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan and wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler after the cricketers’ old tweets allegedly mocking fans resurfaced. Morgan and Buttler’s old posts came to light which seems to be written in a way that mocks the English language used by fans. Following the resurfacing old tweets, the England cricketers faced severe backlash, but former skipper Vaughan feels the “witch hunt” needs to be stopped.
The probe into England cricketers’ old tweets is a ‘witch hunt’ that must stop, says former skipper Vaughan as the ECB investigates alleged racist remarks on social media by many of its cricketers. “No one at the time of Morgan’s, Buttler’s & Anderson’s tweets seemed offended at the time they tweeted but it’s amazing how they now seem offensive a few years later !!!!!! Utterly ridiculous … The witch hunt has started but has to stop,” Vaughan tweeted.
England’s white-ball skipper Morgan and wicketkeeper Buttler are under investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after their tweets, mocking Indians, surfaced on social media on Wednesday.
The posts, in which Buttler and Morgan used the word ‘sir’ to mock the Indians, started doing the rounds on social media after the ECB suspended pacer Ollie Robinson for some of his offensive tweets dating back to 2012-13.
No one at the time of Morgan’s ,Buttler’s & Anderson’s tweets seemed offended at the time they tweeted but it’s amazing how they now seem offensive a few years later !!!!!! Utterly ridiculous … The witch hunt has started but has to stop … #OnOn
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 10, 2021
According to a report, “Screenshots have also been shared of a message by Buttler in which he says ‘I always reply sir no1 else like me like you like me’ and, separately, Morgan includes Buttler in a message which says, ‘Sir you’re my favourite batsman’.”
A homophobic tweet dating back to 2010 from veteran pacer James Anderson has also emerged.
The ECB has promised “relevant and appropriate action”, saying each case will be considered on an individual basis.
Buttler and Morgan both feature in the Indian Premier League with the former playing for the Rajasthan Royals and the latter leading the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Ollie Robinson was on Sunday suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following the tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013.