Jonathan Trott left the Ashes tour with a stress-related illness only hours after England’s 381-run loss in the first test on Sunday, a day after he was targeted for criticism by Australian batsman David Warner.
The 32-year-old Trott had batting failures in both innings, out for 10 and 9, and exposed as being vulnerable to short-pitched bowling by Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson.
England collapsed in both innings in Brisbane, dismissed for 136 and 179 in a comprehensive defeat.
Warner used a news conference on Saturday evening to say the way Trott handled the fiery bowling was “weak” and that the England batsmen had “scared eyes.” The British press was also critical in post-match reports.
The England Cricket Board on Monday issued a statement saying Trott would take a break from cricket “for the foreseeable future.”
“I don’t feel its right playing knowing well that I’m not 100 percent and I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past,” Trott said in a statement. “My priority now is to take a break from cricket so that I can focus on my recovery.”
Trott, who was born and educated in South Africa, has been part of England’s three consecutive Ashes series wins. He made a century in his test debut against Australia in 2009, and scored two unbeaten centuries and a half century during England’s Ashes triumph in 2010-11 its first in Australia in 24 years.
England Cricket Board managing director Hugh Morris described Trott as “an incredibly talented cricketer who has proven himself time and again for England.”
England coach Andy Flower said in an interview with the BBC that Trott’s decision was not a result of Warner’s remarks, but condemned the way the Australian batsman commented about a rival player in a news conference.
“Players commenting about fellow professionals in media is disrespectful and on this occasion he’s got that horribly wrong,” Flower was quoted as saying.
Of the stress-related illness, Flower said “Jonathan has been struggling with this for quite a while. We have been on tour for about a month and he has had his ups and downs.”
“He’s been a brilliant international batsman for England and hopefully will continue to be.”
