Sunil Gavaskar has never been one to mince words, and classically, the legendary Indian batter came out to criticize cricket media, especially South Africa’s following their reaction to the second Test in Cape Town, and set the stage for England’s upcoming five-Tests tour of India, which starts on January 25.
Gavaskar, in his article online, wrote bout how media critics and cricketing greats from SENA countries will go to extreme lengths to defend their team’s losses and how the blame gets passed on. He mentioned how former players like Shaun Pollock lambasted the groundsmen and pitch curators at Newlands for ‘getting it wrong’ for the second Test against India, which ended with Indian clinching a series-tying historic win.
“These kind of excuses that the curator got it wrong is typical of the SENA countries. When our curators make a dry pitch then it’s ‘chicanery’ as a former Australian skipper said last year after the Aussies had been walloped in the first two Test matches. So our groundsmen do it deliberately, but their groundsmen just get it wrong,” wrote Gavaskar.
The spirited reply did not just stop there as Gavaskar then went on to state how India should be ready to face such backlash from the English media during their upcoming series against England, whom he cheekily termed as the ‘country that has the biggest whingeing and moaning media in sport”.
“In about three weeks time another Test series starts with a country that has the biggest whingeing and moaning media in sport. Anything that doesn’t suit their team will be criticised and allegations will fly thick and fast,” Gavaskar exclaimed.
He also then went on to call on Indian sports media houses, who he believes should take on such blatantly biased outlets and come to the support of the Indian team as well.
“It would be wonderful if our media rises to the challenge and takes them on word for word. That would be a clash to enjoy as thoroughly as the one that will unfold on the ground,” stated Gavaskar.
“Is that too much to hope for? We shall soon find out.”
India will be taking on England in a five-match Test series that is slated to begin from January 25, a series that is touted to be the first real challenge for England coach Brendon McCullum’s ‘Bazball’ brand of aggressive and high-intensity cricket.
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