Australia might have won in Round One but Cricket as a game has lost. What one fails to understand is did Harbhajan really call Symonds that, all this when Channel Nine Technicians say they have no evidence of that? Why should Symonds feel hurt and imagine being called a "Monkey"? The Ugly Australians are at it again, at what they are good at, sledging!!
India has lodged a protest against Hogg saying he has called an Indian player names. This will be taken up in a separate hearing.
Days after the unpleasant match between Australia and India, not every Australian is happy about the way in which the Australians have "upheld" the game. Even the Prime Minister of Australia has called for settling this issue amicably as soon as possible. One thing we should remember is, that culturally we Indians are very different from many others in the world and not by any stretch of imagination can anybody hold Indians "racists". We have seen the way the British contestants treated Shilpa Shetty and the uproar that was subsequently created.
It is a relief that Harbhajan has been cleared to play the 3rd Test beginning in Perth and that Billy Bowden will officiate in the place of Bucknor. But the other umpires remain. Let us see what we have in store for us in the remaining tests. What was surprising earlier was that neither the two officiating umpires could hear any racist remark nor the Channel Nine Techinicians could pick any audio or video evidence of any remark. God alone knows how Michael Proctor came to the conclusion that Bhajji had indeed called Symonds names.
Cricket in Australia is at its all time lowest. Possibly this could be the lowest in Cricket in general after Jardine's Bodyline Controversy of the 1930s.
Meanwhile there have been calls for the sacking of the Australian Captain Ricky Ponting. I cannot imagine the captain of a cricketing nation behaving the way Ponting has. All through his cricketing career, I have never seen Sunil Gavaskar wait even for a moment if he was out, to see if the umpire had noticed it. He would just walk back. That is an Indian for you
The next that the BCCI should ensure is that the Sydney Test is taken off record and BCCI should stand firm on this. After all, India contributes to around 70% of the revenue that ICC generates and ICC cannot just ignore India's concerns. Whatever might ensue, India has been wronged and it will take more than the ICC's superficial gestures to assuage the hurt Indian sentiments.
Truly Monkey Business this!!!
Pic- Deccan Herald
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