Sydney Fiasco - Indian Media going overboard
There is no doubt that it was really sad to watch India lose a match which they could have atleast drawn (realistically speaking, had all umpiring decisions been correct, India could have actually won the match). Then the racism row, something that should have not happened in the first place. Harbhajan was handed a 3 match ban instantaneously (quite amazing, super quick judgement – Saudi style) Be that as it may, on one hand things were already quite heated up in Sydney.
On the other hand, the Indian media seemed to add more fuel to fire. The effect to this “adding fuel to fire” was quite visible when we witnessed one of India’s most famous and familiar way of protest – “burning of effigies“. The media was also prompt in reporting as to how Harbhajan’s mom felt her son could never be wrong (it reminds me of the then famous ‘Sehwag ki Maa’ days) and how a conspiracy seems to have been hatched against her son. Moreover, never mind the official confirmation from ICC or the BCCI, the media had also started speculating the fate of the tour indicating that the tour might be well called off.
As if the contributions of the print media was not enough, the visual media lead by CNN-IBN (one disgusting news channel) and TIMES NOW (yuk, english counterparts of Stars News in terms of content) were quite irrepressible and tried their best to make the discussions with so called “experts” on the topic more glamorous. Would you believe it, the expert opinions of Irrrrfan Khan (I donno how many R’s his numerologist had recommended) and Mandira Bedi (after whom the experience of watching cricket was never the same again) on behalf of bollywood was also taken and quoted. I really donno what bollywood has got to do with this. Tomorrow a Rakhi Sawant would come, sit in the commentary box and tell us how Sachin should be playing his sweep shots or how Saurav should play his cover drives. Quite disgusting. And, NDTV, not to be left behind, are running a “India, Come Back” campaign on their website. Come’on NDTV, never expected this from you.
I wonder where the Indian media wants to take us at the end of the day. Biased views and irrational speculations guided by a commercial motive is the essense of todays media. Cricket is a sport which I have followed all through my life so passionately and it is quite disgusting and disappointing to hear actors like Irrfan Khan or Mandira Bedi talk about cricket.
Not surprisingly Mike Coward in his article quite aptly termed the Indian media as a partisan and ropeable.
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January 8th, 2008 at 4:46 am
yes! i completely agree. on top of it the navjot singh sidhy clown is adding more embarassment.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Indian media could be compared to a sex-starved man in an island who’s ready to fuck anything that walks. The moment these morons find something “sensational”, they pound on it like a bunch of rabid dogs.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Hawkeye – Thanks for the comment. Sidhu to me is the cricket version of our TR
@Krishan – I agree with you 100%
January 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Just my thoughts. I stick to NDTV, but it’s sad to see even them being lured, to this extent, by “sensationalism.” When will they stop giving their unwanted opinions and just state the available information.
Having said all that, I still support Bhajji.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Even I stick to NDTV. NDTV minus Rajdeep Sardesai has really stuck to its class to a great extent and avoid “sensationalism”.
January 9th, 2008 at 1:00 am
I am in full agreement that the media is stupid at times calling in Irffan Khan for his “expert” comments. However one must remember they did their job not only for their ratings but also seeing the Indian mood.
I would put it down as the first time the whole country has stood united and its something that the cheating Aussies did not anticipate or expected. There is little doubt they are “cry babies”.
January 9th, 2008 at 1:03 am
There is no doubt that it was really sad seeing India lose a match which they could have atleast drawn (realistically speaking, had all umpiring decisions been correct, India could have actually won the match). Then the racism row, something that should have not happened in the first instance. Harbhajan was handed a 3 match ban instantaneously (quite amazing, super quick judgement – Saudi style) Be that as it may, on one hand things were quite heated up there in Sydney.
I think all the Aussie players should read this para once at least and especially their Captain – the biggest cheat of all.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
i loved the non partisan headlines this morning… bucknor out, bhajji in….. or we did it…....
i felt sorry for bhajji, the bad umpiring is part of the game…...but it did go into a bizarre zone… the PM being asked whether he had a view, or irfan khan (the actor) on racism, and arshad warsi )talking about someone being racist to him in London…..terrible stuff….
January 9th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I do accept that Indian media went overboard. But the fact of the matter is, after repeatedly getting out to Bhajji, I believe Ponting really took this as an opportunity for revenge! (especially he might have watched many times the way Bhajji reacted after getting him out again in the 2-nd innings!!) Even Aussie media called them “cry babies”!! Also, if a Sehwag or so many others can be penalised for “excessive” appealing – what did they do to Ponting & co for their “excessive but polite (!)” apealing on the last day?! Addition to that ICC is quick to hand-out bans on “false” claiming of catches if done by an Indian, Pak or WI players – but what do they did to Gilchrist (when he can clearly see Dravid’s bat completely behind his pad!), Hussey or Ponting for grassed catch appeals?!! Besides the “excellently bad umpiring”, all this in this one match, man! So what’s wrong is going little overboard and giving the stick to ICC - at least once in a while from a less “privileged” country
That’s my take on it!
January 9th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Hi!
I forgot to mention that “burning of effigies” is ONE OF THE WORST HUMAN BEHAVIOR and I very strongly believe that it is an act of BARBARISM (kAttu mirAndithanam) and I HOPE & WISH that we Indians stop doing that FOR ANY REASON!
January 9th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Thanks for the comments Ananth, harini & Apala.
True, the Aussies were cry babies. More than that they were very unsporting and were carrying a “win at any cost” attitude. That is what upset the Indian team and all of us.
& we are no longer a “less privileged” country, atleast as far as cricket is concerned. And yes, we did succeed in getting bucknor removed, hogg charged and procter watched. The filthily rich BCCI very well succeeded in bullying ICC into submission.
January 11th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
the topic is gettin more coverage than wat is required. indeed it is an important issue . but there hardly somethin news channel can do the competition is so stiff that eyeballs have to be attracted with whatever news thats can be sensationalized