"Representing my country' bruh then you should play for South Africa right?" - Fans erupt as Jason Roy busts fake news about terminating ECB contract
South Africa-born England cricketer Jason Roy confirmed on Thursday, May 25, that he will continue to play for England. This came after reports surfaced that the 32-year-old would terminate his ECB contract to play in the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC), which will be played in July in Texas, United States.
The reports added that Roy could play for the LA Knight Riders in the six-team tournament between the conclusion of the T20 Blast and the start of The Hundred, i.e., from July 15 to August 1.
Now, the Surrey batter has clarified that he will never walk away from England but will participate in the MLC if England allows him to take part in the tournament. He added that playing in the 2023 ODI World Cup for England is his priority.
In a statement on Twitter, Jason Roy wrote:
“Following a bit of unwanted speculation over the last 24 hours, I wanted to clarify that I am not and never will ‘walk away from England.’ Representing my country continues to be my proudest moment as a professional cricketer. I hope to play for England for many more years, that remains my priority.”
He continued:
“I’ve had clear and supportive conversations with the ECB about participating in Major League Cricket. The ECB were happy with me to play in the competition as long as they didn’t have to pay me for the remainder of the contractual year.”
Roy added:
“As a single format player with no central contract, I wanted to take the opportunity to play this competition as there are currently no scheduling conflicts with England. It benefits me as an England player to play as much competitive cricket as possible."
He concluded:
"Just to be very clear, my priority is England cricket, especially with a World Cup soon upon us. It is for me, and for any player, the greatest honor to receive a cap to play for their country.”
Please read. https://t.co/FrKWhUn1aM
Fans on Twitter came up with mixed reactions to Jason Roy’s verdict on Twitter. One user tweeted:
"Representing my country' bruh then you should play for South Africa right?"
@JasonRoy20 'Representing my county ' bruh then you should play for South Africa right ?/😭😭😂😂
Here are some of the other Twitter reactions:
@JasonRoy20 RIP sources. Well done Jason 👍
@JasonRoy20 Bodied @CricCrazyJohns @mufaddal_vohra @ImTanujSingh 🤣🖕
@JasonRoy20 Ignore few cheap media sources
@JasonRoy20 Jason will be earning 5 times more than the ECB contract, Bro played very smart here and left the ball in ECB's court 🫡
@JasonRoy20 Don't mind toxic fans of international cricket, this is a GOAT decision, king. 🥰
@JasonRoy20 Great Decision @JasonRoy20
National Duties should be an Utmost Priority for any cricket player..
Club cricket is also a part of cricket but it can never be a priority over national cricket.
We are happy with your decision. 💜💜
@JasonRoy20 Short me batao bhai, itna kaun padhega
@JasonRoy20 That's Good Decision 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
@JasonRoy20 Superb one Jason.. Love your spirit ❤️❤️🔥🔥
@JasonRoy20 Bro has a clear vision. Roy 🎁 https://t.co/vUSAuFghgy
@JasonRoy20 No need to explain anything. Putting yourself and your family first.
It's crickets Bosman moment.
Go well, J Roy. Renegade
Jason Roy only plays ODI cricket for England
For the uninitiated, Jason Roy currently plays only ODI cricket for England. He last played during the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh.
The Surrey batter was not included in England’s squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they were crowned champions, ruling out his return to a shorter format soon. His last test came against Australia during the Ashes in 2019.
England will play their next ODI against New Zealand in September ahead of the 2023 World Cup in India. Thus, Roy is free to participate in the MLC.
Jason Roy recently played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2023, scoring 285 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 151.59, comprising two half-centuries.