My reaction to Amit's post on the ongoing cricket controversy

I started out writing a comment but midway, I realized that it's too long a comment. So here is my reaction to Amit's post.

About strong protests

India lodged a ‘strong protest’ when Mike Deness banned Sachin Tendulkar for ball tampering. Nothing happened.

Steve Bucknor mocked Rahul Dravid on the field by pretending to tamper the ball at SCG. India lodged a ‘strong protest’. Nothing happened.

Umpire Darrell Hair has often been biased against Asian teams and so many ‘strong protests’ were lodged. Nothing happened.

Finally, the Pakistan cricket team walked off the ground midway through a match and that’s when the ICC woke up and banned Hair.

Do we still believe in ‘strong protests’?

I rest my case.

About sportsmanship in the modern game

I don’t want to comment much here since I do agree that sportsmanship is a dying virtue. However, it should not die.

Amit asks in his post,

“However, is suspending the entire tour and jeopardizing an otherwise excellent cricketing relationship the answer?”

It’s not. And that’s exactly why sportsmanship should not die. And grassed catches should not be claimed.

P.S: Do read the mail that Arpit forwarded everyone this morning. That says what sportsmanship is and why it’s important.