The recently concluded India vs Australia Bangalore Test was a gem as far as the quality of cricket and the swinging fortunes throughout the match were concerned.
However, the match also saw the Australian players ending up on the receiving end of verbal volleys in a complete anti-climax from the era gone by.
Over the years, starting from the era of Ian Chappell and Allan Border to that of Ricky Ponting or maybe even Michael Clarke, the Aussies have played hard cricket, meaning good cricket coupled with an attitude aptly fitting the phrase ‘everything is fair in love and war’. So many teams over the years have been on the receiving end of so-called ‘sledging’ – verbal volleys unleashed by the Aussies. Only Mark Taylor to some extent tried to curb it, but without much success.
So even though Australian teams have performed well over the years, they have always come across as arrogant and rude in the eyes of overseas cricket lovers. Some of these include current players from opposition teams who have grown up watching their idols being sledged by their Aussie counterparts.
Most of these players, especially Asian players and even including Asian crowds, have grown up thinking there is nothing inappropriate in sledging an Aussie player. Even though the actual sledging that happens on the ground might be a harmless thing or non-personal banter, the way it has been broadcast has led to many fans considering Aussie sledging to be personal verbal abuse.
What that has done today is left many teams considering it is all right to sledge an Aussie player because it’s a game they started and are now having served back to them.
However, here the current Australian team is not at fault for the behaviour of their predecessors. This is not to say that the current lot is a bunch of ‘good boys’, but surely compared to past players they are better behaved – but they have to cope with sledging from opposition players, some of whom have mastered the art as well as any former Aussie cricketer known for sledging. And it seems things are not going to change anytime soon.
So boys, sorry. You have no option but to take it on the chin and give back as hard as possible.
AlanC
Guest
I would have left it at "He's not the brightest".
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Wade is quick to sledge but he isn't the brightest when choosing who to sledge and when to sledge them. Warner has put away his "in your face" verbals, much like the reformed gunslinger in oh so many westerns. With Steve Smith as captain, there is a new sheriff in town and he don't take kindly to that kind of talk. In fact, as far as sledging goes, our Aussies are more "Three Amigos" than Josey Wales. Even our quicks seems to be down on firepower when it comes to giving the opposition a spray. Sure they are happy to 'stare down" but its very rare to see them go for the draw and fire a salvo at Kohli and co. Kohli plays the "El Guapo" villain role very well. I just hope with all the gun firing into the air and contempt shown toward his combatants, he has a chance to ask his team if he has a plethora of pinatas?
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
True story. But with Matt Wade behind the stumps, its not like the opposition will take this team for "nice boys". Perish the thought.