India’s continuous defiance of the Aussies both on and off the Cricket field is a bitter pill to swallow for the old timers
Cricket fans in India are upset, and they have every right to be. Their favourite people, the Indian cricket team members, are facing some shoddy treatment at the hands of the Australian crowds, their media, and now even the Australian captain has chimed in.
The general feeling is, these Australian players when they come to India are appreciated and showered with love. Then why is the same treatment not requited to the Indian team members when they travel to the Aussie shores?
Aussie Captain crossing the line
Not the first time.
This Tim Paine apology is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. What Tim Paine did the other day, was unbecoming of an Australian captain. Or for that matter any national team’s captain in any sport. To lose your cool, to sledge in a way which is borderline bullying, is not something you expect from a professional sportsman. As a sportsman representing your country, as a captain leading your national team, you are followed and looked up to by young kids too. Is this the kind of example you want to set for your next generation?
This is not the first time that an Australian captain has crossed the line.
Even in 2008, Ricky Ponting and his men were accused of some unruly, arrogant behaviour. How can you forget, a young Sikh Harhbhajan Singh, who was the head of a family of nine and responsible for raising them, was targeted by the Australian fielders and abused with the choicest of words. When he reacted, his reaction was seized upon and he was dragged to the match referee and legal proceedings followed. Not one moment was spent thinking if he is banned what will happen to his family. The Australian media too didn’t let up one moment and continuously added fuel to the fire.
2008 has become 2021 but you see the same behaviour. This time a young Md. Siraj, someone who chose to represent his country and gave up the option of attending his fathers funeral, was targeted vehemently while fielding at long on. His skin color, his parentage, everything was questioned by unruly supporters from one particular section of the ground.
But times have changed and even a young player like Siraj knows that abuse is wrong. And thank God the security officials intervened and the perpetrators were escorted out of the grounds.
There will be consequences
Rajasthan Royals have already removed Steven Smith, not only as captain, but he will no longer be retained as a player either. Is it because Smith was caught on camera removing Rishab Pants marking on the crease, maybe yes or maybe no, we will never know.
Cricket Australia has recorded terrific numbers, their best ever, in terms of eyeballs grabbed on the 5 th day of the third test. How will they like it if India cancels its next trip to Australia.
David Warner has come out and apologised to the Indians for the behaviour of a section of the crowd, why? Because he knows, when Cricket Australia banned him, with his international career in uncertainty, he still had the SunRisers Hyderabad willing to bring him back into the fold.
If this abuse continues and Australian players don’t come out and condemn this kind of behaviour unequivocally, these cracks will remain, and the Aussies will be the ones who’ll have to pay.
After all, Indians might like Australians, their Country, but their Cricket team, at this point, not so much.
Brisbane will show us if the Australian cricketers and their Cricket board understands what’s at stake.
Let’s wait and watch.
