What does have “sledging” to do with cricket?
Posted on February 2, 2008
Filed Under Cricket, Sports News
Anyone with the remotest interest in cricket , will now be aware of the sledging controversy which has slam-banged into the ongoing Indian cricket tour of Australia.
Indian ace cricketer,Harbhajan Singh was accused mid-match of calling Australian veteran mixed-race player Andrew Symonds a “monkey”.The Indians have not been far behind in vigorously counter-claiming that the Australian bowler Brad Hogg called the Indian captain Kumble and Vice captain Mahendra Dhoni, “bastards”while batting. Accusations were still flying right, left, and center when the International Cricket Committee took the controversial but dramatic step of implementing a three-match ban on Harbhajan Singh for “racial abuse.”
The situation exponentially worsened with India which happens to fanatically follow cricket reacted with vociferous protests and demonstrations. The high-scale histrionics’s have become shriller by the second with both sides admitting they said what they said, but claiming extenuating circumstances. The Indian logic being “monkey” is not really insulting in their culture and they worship Hanuman who is a monkey god, while the Australians state that bastard is not really offensive in their culture; its just something they say!
But to be really fair ; the Australians and New Zealanders consider the sledging or the practice of insulting opponents and their close families a great and acceptable method of breaking concentration. But many people are seriously considering the impact this recent ban will have on Australian tourism.
Why? What does cricket have to do with tourism? If you were following international news , you’ll have realized that it was only just recently that an Indian Doctor,Mohammed Haneef working in Australia was unjustly accused and-imprisoned for quite a few months on charges of aiding and abetting terrorism. Although the charges were eventually rescinded, there is definitely a lingering pool of suspicion towards Australia in the Indian mind!
