5 Times cricketers' private lives became public scandals

Cricket can be touted for on‑pitch heroism, but the players' off‑pitch lives see even the greats of the sport sometimes brought onto centre stage, albeit sometimes for the worst of reasons. These are five times cricketers' off‑duty behaviour made front pages as scandals, a reminder that fame and scrutiny walk hand in hand.

1. Shane Warne's numerous affairs

While late Australian cricketer Shane Warne was a wizard on the pitch, he was far more in the headlines for the wrong reasons off it. He had a string of affairs, which caused his marriage to yoga instructor Simone Callahan to end. In 2000, a British nurse accused the ex-leg-spinner of harassing her with lewd phone calls and obscene texts.

In the 2005 England tour, it was reported that Warne had sex with two women, Laura Sayers and Kerry Collymore. Sayers alleged that the Aussie great stripped in front of her and asked her to sleep with him. Warne later dated actress Liz Hurley. The two even got engaged, but Hurley called off the engagement upon finding out about the former cricketer's affair with a pornographic film star.

2. Mike Gatting's "Barmaid" Scandal

Over the summer of 1988, then–England captain Mike Gatting was at the eye of a media hurricane. A fortnight after a draw in the first Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, two British newspapers accused Gatting of having a barmaid in his hotel room. Gatting confessed that he'd asked her up to have a drink, but strenuously defended himself against any impropriety.

Three days after that, the Test & County Cricket Board unexpectedly dismissed him for "improper behaviour," although they admitted no proof of sexual relations. The incident was cricket's most notorious off-field scandal at the time and hastened the introduction of neutral umpires and more prudent boards.

3. Ben Stokes' Bristol Nightclub Brawl

England's explosive all-rounder Ben Stokes was arrested in September 2017 after a brawl on the streets near a nightclub in Bristol left two men injured. Footage captured Stokes and teammate Alex Hales at the centre of what the prosecution described as "a sustained episode of serious violence." Stokes never denied that he was sticking up for two gay men who had been subjected to homophobic abuse and responded in self-defence.

After an eleven-month legal ordeal, he was acquitted of affray by a unanimous jury in August 2018 and subsequently reinstated to England's squad. The trial cost him his vice-captaincy, sponsorship, and selection for the Ashes, highlighting the way off-field incidents can bench even elite players.

4. Hardik Pandya & KL Rahul's "Koffee With Karan" Backlash

In January 2019, Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul appeared on the chat show of film director Karan Johar, where they exchanged off-colour jokes about nightlife and romance. Their comments, punctuated with flippant misogyny, instantaneously provoked a firestorm of denunciation. 

The BCCI issued both with show‑cause notices, and sponsors withdrew Pandya. Both were temporarily suspended from international duty as well. Even though they subsequently put out apologies and rejoined the team, the incident is a warning against the dangers of combining personal honesty with national celebrity.

5. Michael Slater's stalking charges

Old Australian opener Michael Slater has been through his share of scandals after retirement. Slater's former partner Melanie Livesey accused the retired cricketer of harassing her in October 2021. Slater was later arrested and charged with stalking. Reports stated that Slater allegedly called his former girlfriend 18 times and sent 66 messages in two-and-a-half hours before getting arrested. Slater was charged with assaulting and stalking/intimidating a woman in May 2022.

In November of the year, the 52-year-old was found guilty of domestic violence offences and sentenced to a two-year Community Corrections Order after violating a domestic violence order by contacting an ex-partner 100 times on WhatsApp.

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