Manchester: The abuse faced by his England teammate Jofra Archer during a tour of New Zealand last year made James Anderson ponder whether he has been guilty of turning a ‘blind eye’ to racist taunts faced by players of colour.
With killing of African-American George Floyd by a white policeman in the United States, the sporting fraternity has joined the worldwide campaign against racial discrimination.
Anderson, who wasn’t a part of the New Zealand tour, said that he introspected after Archer revealed facing racial taunts from spectators during the tour.
“It’s something as players and a game we need to be more active,” he said on Cricbuzz, referring to a ‘thought provoking’ past few weeks.
“It’s made me think, have I experienced racism on a cricket field? I couldn’t remember any instances. I wasn’t in New Zealand when Jofra (Archer) was racially abused.
“It made me think have I turned a blind eye to things? I’d try to support my team-mates if they did suffer any sort of abuse but have I been active in supporting them?” the great swing bowler of contemporary times said.
Just like former West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who poured his heart out on social media about casual racism that he faced during IPL, Anderson also feels that time is ripe for a conversation in the change rooms.
“It’s been a thought provoking few weeks for everyone and we will have conversations as players as to what we can do to make us stand differently.”
Anderson urged custodians of English cricket to make the game more friendly which he feels is not the case right now.
“We need to actively make this game for everyone. It can’t keep going the way it is. That’s the sort of thing I have been thinking about really,” he added.
PTI