Racism in Cricket

Posted on January 31, 2008
Filed Under Sports |

I have been following the game of cricket since I started to read and write. Cricket has grown in me and even after more than 10 years in US, I haven’t lost track of the teams that are currently playing, and have been following each and every game that is being played globally, all year round.

Cricket is called a ‘Gentleman’s Game’. However, to watch the Australians play cricket reminds of a game called Footy (Australian Football is played with lot of agression and reminds me of hooliganism), that I followed when I stayed in Melbourne for almost 2 years. Australian cricket has been written about in the past few weeks because of a racism row involved with one of the Indian players. And surprisingly enough, they have accused an Indian player, Harbhajan Singh, to be racist against an Aussie player, which was unheard of all these years.

I still remember how one of the Indian player, Sunil Gavaskar, walked out in anger for having given out when he felt he was not out and asked his running mate to stop the play. Since he felt the decision was made unfairly and there was a comment made by one of the Aussie players that flared him up. Sunil Gavaskar has been very vocal about racism in Australia and he takes them to dry cleaners when it is required. I feel, the current Indian team has shown a similar mettle and is giving it back to Australia when it is really required. From my opinion there is nothing wrong in doing so, because cricket all over has been taking this lying down and its not easy to take it when there is so much of sledging on the field and use of abusive language against the players.

For once, India has come forward and protested it with full fervor. Kudos to the Indian team for doing this!

Comments

One Response to “Racism in Cricket”

  1. sanjay on January 31st, 2008 3:52 am

    The latest is that Harbhajan Singh has been cleared of charges which is a victory for the spirit of cricket.
    This sport is imbibed in the soul of people in many countries and it is this which causes some form of aggression being displayed on the field. Though it is just a momentary spurt of the boiling spirit, instances like these are a reminder that character and discipline too form a part of the game!
    When playing for the love of the game, being racist is something that a player cannot afford to be.

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