Cricket Blog

A lot of so-called “neutral observers” have mentioned that India’s reaction to the SCG test has been way over the top, the BCCI are bullies, the Indian players are hypocrites, Harbhajan Singh is a racist, the burning of effigies is a barbaric act. I could go on and on.

All the above comments/theories are not going to make matters any easy, they are going to further enrage a nation that is already on the brink of pulling out of the tour. Let me point something out before I start shredding these statements apart. First and foremost, cricket is not a passion in India, it is a religion in its most literal term. The psyche of an Indian fan is that their players are like gods that are battling it out with the rest of the world. So what if they lose. Hey the English only won the Soccer World Cup once, and yet over there soccer is the same as what cricket is in India. What about Aussie rules football. Who really knows about this sport besides the Australians. And yet it overtakes cricket or any other sport in popularity. Oh, and don’t even get me started talking about the crowd/players behavior during a Carlton-Collingwood match.

Cricket is not a contact sport, but the way sledging and intimidation is going on, it may very well become. How much crap can a person take before he gives it back. The Indian players are not like bowling pins that every Tom, Dick and Harry comes and knocks them over. This isn’t India under Mahatma Gandhi that believes in non-violence as the key. This is a young and aggressive India who knows its history of being oppressed by foreigners. So why should they be intimidated by a team that has a known history of insulting, abusing and discriminating its opponents.

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In what is an about turn by the ICC, controversial umpire and the main man who cost India the Sydney test, Steve Bucknor has been removed from the third match to be played in Perth. He has been replaced by Umpire Billy Bowden. The ICC had refused to remove Bucknor in earlier news reports, however, it seems that they have had a reality check in the last few hours.

ICC Chief Executive, Mr Malcolm Speed had the following statement to make:

“It is accepted that Steve, and his on-field colleague Mark Benson, did not have good games by their very high standards and we feel that given the added pressure and attention Steve’s presence would have at the third Test, it is better for the match and for Steve himself if he does not take part.”

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A new controversy seems to have erupted in Australia between Cricket Australia and about 11 players who have signed an MoU with the BCCI for the proposed IPL to be held next year. CA chief executive Mr James Sutherland expressed his disappointment in a letter to the players. According to the letter, Sutherland had this to say:

“You will no doubt be aware that this MOU sees you providing undertakings that will put you in conflict with your obligations to CA and/or your state association. In this context, I am disappointed that you have chosen not to discuss or advise CA of your decision.”

It will be interesting to see what would happen when the IPL itinerary clashes with any of Australia’s tours. The lure of the cash could very well prove to be too tempting for some players who are on their final legs of their careers. It’s going to get very interesting.

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