This year’s Border-Gavaskar trophy will be remembered for many reasons. This tour is supposed be last visit to Australia by senior players like Sachin, Dada, Dravid and Kumble. The four giants, who have been standing tall as four pillars to this dynasty of cricket India, who have been the face of cricket India for almost decade and half, have come together to try one last attempt to make it a remarkable hurrah. Unfortunately, the tour has become a bad taste in mouth.
Men in blue had started off New Year auspiciously. First session of the second test match was controlled by Indian bowlers. They bent their backs and continuously bowled at right line and length. Just when I thought, India were cruising along very well, from no where, Steve Bucknor made his presence felt by pricking the balloon of cheers, by adjudging Symmonds not out. But the fact is Symmonds had nicked the one off Ishant, a young debutant, which could be heard by one sitting in the middle of crowd. Although, this was not the first one that went wrong, but I believe it was the crucial one. It changed the face of game and affected badly on young debutant, who couldn’t pick up the wicket through out the test match. It was a series of errors by elite panel members of ICC. Ponting stood his ground after nicking one to keeper; Symmonds got three undeserved chances, Jaffer bowled off Lee, where Lee clearly overstepped, David’s dismissal in the second innings, Dada’s undoubtedly questionable catch by Michael Clark and many more.
It wouldn’t be fair enough to demand umpires to come out correct all the time. But some of the errors were too clearly visible to be blindfolded. On top of that, current technology would be handy to make some decisions wisely. They chose not to refer third umpire, who was clearly accommodated to adjudge at the times of obscurity/uncertainty. Baffled, I am!! Rather they took the advice from Ponting, whose integrity itself is in doubt, in (mis)judging Dada’s dismissal. If Ponting was honest at the first place, he would have walked after nicking one to keeper off Dada. Certainly, in the middle of heated contest, a player tends to forget ethics to sniff the victory. Player’s integrity and sporting spirit is not as sacred as it used to be. It was clearly inadmissible to see OZs playing the game in ill-spirit, who have been world champs and have onus of setting the standards for cricket world.
The only fragrance from the dirt mud was spread by Tendlya’s 38th test century along with charismatic century by nemesis of Australia, Very Very Special Lakshman. Tendlya’s innings was a classic, conventional test innings filled with authority, and dexterity. Where as Lakshman’s was full of aggression and sweetest timing possible. For Sidneysiders, it was one last glimpse of wristy wreck by Lakshman and one last waft of deft and dash by ‘Bradmanesque’ Tendulakar, who is unarguably one of the greatest cricketers of all time.
The verdict of the Match referee after 5th day of the test match took the blemish out of the frying pan and into the fire. Harbhajan was labeled as racist and banned for three test matches, even though there were no evidences were presented. That was totally ruthless and clearly objectionable. Everybody agrees that Australians are not only a bunch of better cricketers but also better sledgers. It was weird to learn Harbhajan get penalized for abusing racially against the team which is deeply notorious for altercations with all the cricket teams in the world. Baffled, again!!
Anyway, it was one of those tests which will go into history for all the wrong reasons and one of them being, Gilchrist’s appeal to get rid of Dravid off Symmonds, where Dravid left a foot gap between bat and ball. Clearly, one has to question if we can still call cricket a gentleman’s game.
Men in blue had started off New Year auspiciously. First session of the second test match was controlled by Indian bowlers. They bent their backs and continuously bowled at right line and length. Just when I thought, India were cruising along very well, from no where, Steve Bucknor made his presence felt by pricking the balloon of cheers, by adjudging Symmonds not out. But the fact is Symmonds had nicked the one off Ishant, a young debutant, which could be heard by one sitting in the middle of crowd. Although, this was not the first one that went wrong, but I believe it was the crucial one. It changed the face of game and affected badly on young debutant, who couldn’t pick up the wicket through out the test match. It was a series of errors by elite panel members of ICC. Ponting stood his ground after nicking one to keeper; Symmonds got three undeserved chances, Jaffer bowled off Lee, where Lee clearly overstepped, David’s dismissal in the second innings, Dada’s undoubtedly questionable catch by Michael Clark and many more.
It wouldn’t be fair enough to demand umpires to come out correct all the time. But some of the errors were too clearly visible to be blindfolded. On top of that, current technology would be handy to make some decisions wisely. They chose not to refer third umpire, who was clearly accommodated to adjudge at the times of obscurity/uncertainty. Baffled, I am!! Rather they took the advice from Ponting, whose integrity itself is in doubt, in (mis)judging Dada’s dismissal. If Ponting was honest at the first place, he would have walked after nicking one to keeper off Dada. Certainly, in the middle of heated contest, a player tends to forget ethics to sniff the victory. Player’s integrity and sporting spirit is not as sacred as it used to be. It was clearly inadmissible to see OZs playing the game in ill-spirit, who have been world champs and have onus of setting the standards for cricket world.
The only fragrance from the dirt mud was spread by Tendlya’s 38th test century along with charismatic century by nemesis of Australia, Very Very Special Lakshman. Tendlya’s innings was a classic, conventional test innings filled with authority, and dexterity. Where as Lakshman’s was full of aggression and sweetest timing possible. For Sidneysiders, it was one last glimpse of wristy wreck by Lakshman and one last waft of deft and dash by ‘Bradmanesque’ Tendulakar, who is unarguably one of the greatest cricketers of all time.
The verdict of the Match referee after 5th day of the test match took the blemish out of the frying pan and into the fire. Harbhajan was labeled as racist and banned for three test matches, even though there were no evidences were presented. That was totally ruthless and clearly objectionable. Everybody agrees that Australians are not only a bunch of better cricketers but also better sledgers. It was weird to learn Harbhajan get penalized for abusing racially against the team which is deeply notorious for altercations with all the cricket teams in the world. Baffled, again!!
Anyway, it was one of those tests which will go into history for all the wrong reasons and one of them being, Gilchrist’s appeal to get rid of Dravid off Symmonds, where Dravid left a foot gap between bat and ball. Clearly, one has to question if we can still call cricket a gentleman’s game.
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