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Why does India v Australia bring out the worst in each team

Roar Rookie
23rd December, 2014
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Mitchell Starc was fired up by Shane Warne's sledge, and hasn't looked back. AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe
Roar Rookie
23rd December, 2014
12

The past ten years or so have witnessed some ugly encounters between India and Australia.

There was the Sydney Test match and ‘Monkeygate’, which left a dreadful taste in everyone’s mouth. This has been called the moment Andrew Symonds stopped wanting to play for Australia.

From India’s point of view: “only one team was playing in the spirit of the game”. Australia has since been thrashed 4-0 in India. India has been thrashed 4-0 in Australia.

We’ve seen Gautam Ghambir and Shane Watson shoving each other at the SCG and just recently this tour seems to have started to turn sour.

On blogs all over the cricketing world there are high levels of vitriol being poured into debates about umpiring decisions, the practice wickets at the GABBA, aggression, fines for Warner and Ishant Sharma, racism and Rohit Sharma’s sledging of Mitchell Johnson.

Virat Kohli is either someone who has attained batting nirvana or is a very angry young man with a motor mouth, depending on who you talk to.

Not so long ago there was a sort of truce as the Australian players recovered from the loss of one of their own and a dear friend.

Of course that grieving process is still underway and is liable to be something the Australian players are dealing with all summer.

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I don’t mention this as any form of excuse just to put some of this into context. It is one thing to complain about food and another to be overcoming the loss of one of your best friends.

Before your trigger finger itches, I’m not here to point the finger at either side or absolve one side of any of its duty to uphold the spirit of cricket. I’m not even so concerned with the players.

But I would appreciate your thoughts on why India-Australia matches seem to bring out the worst in us, the fans?

The simple answer, some suggest, is that racism is at play. India is a new pay-master and will not tolerate being treated without respect.

Some bloggers seem to think this is what’s going on, that Australia may not like this new status quo so much. But I personally don’t believe this is what fires the players in the middle when they clash.

At times they genuinely seem at each other’s throats, but if MS Dhoni is not afraid to raise the practice wickets and Gabba food as issues of concern, there is absolutely no doubt racism would be called out if it were in play.

Racism is more a problem for the fans than for the players. To my knowledge, no Indian or Australian players have accused each other of racism during this series. For the fans, there are examples of it everywhere, particularly on blogs.

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Another argument is that there is resentment between the “haves” and the “have nots”. MS Dhoni earns a bucket-load more than Pup. An IPL cricketer can earn more than a Big Bash player could ever hope to.

Maybe it’s jealousy? Or on the flip-side, maybe some players are flashy prima donnas who are out of selfish and out of touch?

But in my view, the players appear to be clashing more over an interpretation of what are acceptable levels of “aggression” and how aggression may be demonstrated in a Test match situation.

As a starting point, most people find aggression a negative psychological characteristic. Some Australian commentators were shocked when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were having a go at Steven Smith following a hopeful LBW appeal in Adelaide.

Rohit could be heard distinctly shouting out “what, what?” Whereas, David Warner goaded Varun Aaron after he bowled him off a no-ball and shouted at Warner “come on” – a call which is so benign it’s fine at the tennis.

Did Rohit need to get involved when there wasn’t any reason to? Did Warner need to retaliate and needlessly mock Varun?

There have been plenty of other spats involving players from both teams. Australia traditionally uses psychological aggression. India now seems determined to match them. In my view, that’s perfectly fine.

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Outside of war, sport is the only place where aggression is not only encouraged, but cheered on by the supporters.

It is a Test match after all, pride is on the line when two countries go head to head. India and Australia are both justifiably proud nations. But aggression, to its detractors, also can be interpreted as bullying, petulance, frustration and uncalled for anger.

I’m sensing, in the lull up to Christmas where there is no cricket to distract them, that some fans are not very good at processing what the players ultimately seem comfortable with.

Both sides here seem more than capable of dishing out and taking aggression so long as no one steps over the line (and if they do there will be more fines).

This is good, hard Test cricket between two sides with strong home records and rotten away records. Whether we like it or not, Australia versus India is going to pop up on the calendar more often than not so I’d implore some fans on blogs to breathe, understand the aggression is being doled out on both sides and enjoy the cricket.

What do you think Roarers – why do India versus Australia contests seem to bring out the worst in us?

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