The English and Wales Cricket Board had suspended Gary Ballance for making racist comments toward Azeem Rafiq while representing Yorkshire. Henceforth, he hasn’t played a single first-class cricket this year. However, on Tuesday Dave Houghton, Zimbabwe‘s head coach said that Gary will join Zimbabwe if he wants.
Gary Balance was alleged to pass racist comments to Azeem Rafiq. Henceforth, ECB suspended him, for which he couldn’t feature himself in any domestic games. However, Balance reportedly has apologized recently for Rafiq. He may place a guilty plea to ECB in the coming hearing. However, Gary hasn’t played a single test for England since 2017.
However, in August, Rafiq previously told that he had accepted Gary’s apology. Moreover, Rafiq also urged for a comeback, so that Gary can play competitive cricket again.
Have known Gary Ballance when he was a kid: Zimbabwe coach
The Harare-born cricketer shifted to England when he was a schoolboy. He represented England in at least 16 ODIs and 23 Tests.
Dave Houghton claimed of knowing Gary for a long time. Moreover, Houghton said that his wife is a cousin to Balance’s father.
On Wednesday, Zimbabwe will play their second ODI against Australia. On the eve of the second one day International, Dave Houghton told the reporters,
“I’ve known Gary since he was a kid and I speak to him reasonable regularly.
“I don’t think Gary would be against coming back to play for Zimbabwe but he’s still got to sort out things in England.”
Dave, the Zimbabwe coach further added that he feels Gary Ballance still has some good number of years left in his career. The coach said,
“I think he’s probably got another eight to nine good years in him, so if he wants to come back we certainly won’t turn him away.”
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