India’s decision to abandon the tour of Australia – a case of emotional hysteria?

Cricket evokes passions in India, and the ongoing India – Australia series has been no exception. Touted as one most competitive series of recent times, it has unfortunately been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The SCG test has elicited strong emotions from the Indians, and expectedly so. However, is suspending the entire tour and jeopardizing an otherwise excellent cricketing relationship the answer? At the expense of sounding a bit unpatriotic, I would disagree.

True, the umpiring was atrocious. India deserved a draw at the very least. If matters were not bad enough, the racism charges leveled against Harbhajan Singh must have absolutely shattered the team’s spirit. It reminds me of Al Pacino’s famous monologue in Scent of a Woman, wherein in response to the headmasters strong and severely biased disciplinary action against young Charlie, Pacino retorts by saying that the action is akin to executing Charlie’s soul. Racism is a serious charge, but what is more surprising is the judgment itself. Media reports have suggested that there wasn’t any independent evidence (third party eyewitness such as the umpires themselves, video or audio footage) to prove these charges, and yet the match referee handed out a 3-match ban on mere hearsay. Reports also suggest that the referee decided to accept the word of Clarke and Hayden against that of Sachin Tendulkar. These events, if true are enraging. How often have we seen the Asian countries being victimized in sport? Nevertheless, I strongly disagree with the decision to suspend (and possible abandon) the tour.

I feel that in the recent past, such threats from Asian countries have become an emotional corollary to ugly incidents on the field. Remember, Ranatunga’s strong reaction ensuing Murali being labeled a chucker in Australia. Obviously, I’m not stating that the Indian team should take these allegations lightly. Yes, they did the right thing in lodging a strong protest. However, the thought of suspension seems more of an emotional outburst (and far too myopic) rather than a practical protest. Would the ICC bow to India’s threats of pulling out? I think not. Would such a reaction bring about a change in ICC’s governing policies? I think not. Would they even think of replacing Bucknor for the next test? Probably not. On the contrary, I think abandoning the tour would weaken India’s stature in world cricket. Modern cricket administration will not change dramatically for the better, overnight. What is required is a long and sustained fight against the ICC’s policies, especially those that pertain to a match referee or umpire’s accountability. Knee-jerk reactions will create a media hype, only to fizzle out with time.

I feel the best way to combat this issue is to continue playing, and playing hard. The team should probably wear armbands or something in protest. And most importantly, continue to fight the ban and the umpiring decisions legally. The BCCI needs to be proactive in supporting Harbhajan and other team members. They must take the ICC on, but only within the realm of a legal framework. Let the cricketers do what they do best — play cricket!

Finally, a thought on the spirit of the Australians. Yes, they are no angels. But then, sportsman spirit died a long time back. The late 1980s saw a surge in on-field aggression from the Australians. Ball tampering concerns plagued the late 1980s and early 1990s. The late 1990s and early 2000s can easily be termed as the era of match fixing. Sportsman spirit is dead! The sport is now dominated by “Gamesmanship”, and the Aussies are masters at that.

I’m sure many of you disagree with me. I’d be interested in reading your views. Keep them coming.