'Didn’t brush for days!': How former England wicketkeeper used to distract and annoy opposition batters with his bizarre tactics

Wicketkeepers in cricket are known for their tactical acumen, often using their position behind the stumps to get inside the heads of opposition batters. While some rely on constant chatter, others resort to more unconventional methods.

'Jack Russell, didn’t use to brush his teeth for a couple of days': Phil Tufnell

Former England cricketer Phil Tufnell recently revealed one such bizarre tactic used by his teammate, wicketkeeper Jack Russell. According to Tufnell, Russell would deliberately avoid brushing his teeth for a couple of days before a match, a strategy aimed at annoying and distracting batters.

“My wicketkeeper, Jack Russell, didn’t use to brush his teeth for a couple of days. He said he wanted to put the batters off when he was standing up to the crease. Lots of little shenanigans go on there,” Tufnell revealed on BBC.

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Adding to the conversation, West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite offered his insights on the significant influence that wicketkeepers have on the game of cricket.

“Yes, there are some that, when you’re batting, it’s just like, shut up. But as a bowler, you just love it. It brings a different energy. When you have a quiet keeper, it feels like the game takes so long,” Brathwaite said.

Notably, Jack Russell feature in 54 Tests for England, where he took 153 catches and completed 12 stumpings. Meanwhile, his teammate Phil Tufnell, appeared in 42 Tests for the team.

In Test cricket, wicketkeepers frequently use a variety of on-field chatter to unsettle batters and keep their bowlers and fielders motivated.

India's current cricket team also has a player like that: wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. While he doesn't go out of his way to annoy batters, he definitely has his own methods for distracting them. Pant, who has developed a reputation as one of the most entertaining wicketkeepers in modern cricket, not just for his athletic glovework but also for his constant chatter behind the stumps. Pant uses his voice as a weapon, keeping batters on edge with a mix of humor, cheeky comments, and clever mind games. His non-stop talking, especially against spinners, ensures there is always pressure on the opposition. Instead of traditional sledging, Pant relies on wit, encouraging batters to play rash shots. Pant’s style works as a form of reverse psychology, tempting batters into mistakes while energising his own bowlers. On stump microphones, he has often been caught cracking jokes, singing songs, or throwing playful one-liners, which not only lightens the mood for his teammates but also irritates opponents who prefer silence to concentrate.