Ricky Ponting’s personal attack on Sunil Gavaskar is really too much to digest.
Gavaskar mentioned that Australia was not a popular champion. But for Ponting to take it out personally on Gavaskar is just plain immaturity. Gavaskar has now replied Ponting fittingly.
If Ponting thinks that most champion teams were unpopular, ask him to just think a bit about the great West Indian teams of the late seventies and early eighties. Just a simple image of a Viv Richards or a Michael Holding is enough to bring a nostalgic smile on our faces. They played the game with such elegance, spirit and cavalier enthusiasm that they really set an example for other champion teams to follow suit.
Yes of course Gavaskar should not have protested and threatened to walk out in that famous Test match in Melbourne when given out. Yes the Indians’ Test record in the last year is not something to write home about.
But is that the point?
Is this Gavaskar versus the Australian team? In case Michael Slater made a comment in commentary about the indifferent form of Virender Sehwag should he be reminded about his own reaction to a Dravid catch that he claimed being refused?
Does Ponting imply that a cricketer of Gavaskar’s stature, standing and record cannot comment on the Australian team and if he does do so, he should be subjected to this absolutely pointless virulent personal attack?
Dear Mr Ponting it is time you grew up and looked at the job on hand. Your time will come. In about 5 to 6 years time. You will be writing for some magazine and you will get your chance to say what you want. And a future India captain is going to get back at you for this particular attack. And then you will understand what you did today. Meanwhile let’s just get on with the World Cup.
Play!
Sanjay
i3j3Cricket :: A blog for fans of Indian cricket... 
There is a saying: “If you do not respect others do not expect others to respect you”.
No matter how dirty Ponting bitches sir Gavaskar will be Gavaskar.
Wish India would prove the point on the field beating Australia.
I agree. Gavaskar has in fact responded in the exact fashion as stated in the original post.
http://www.rediff.com/wc2007/2007/mar/13sunny.htm
Gavaskar has replied again but I am not sure if citing the David Hookes incident is in good taste
Ponting has been reacting in some strange ways lately. It is likely that the pressue of the job is getting to him. I believe he is a good cricketer with a solid brain but a hot head that needs to be kicked in!
It is also good that the Indian press — traditionally overseas-arse-lickers and local-arse-kickers — are getting stuck into Ponting too. This is the method of the Aussie press, which always turns the heat on visiting teams. The Indian press is possibly the only one that perpetually places the blow torch at the faces of its own!
But, be that as it may, the end result will bear out on the field and not in these media columns.
— Mohan
There really is no point in the war of words. It will just end up as a distraction to Ponting during the World cup campaign, which is really unnecessary…
It is a pity that Ponting has completely missed the original point Gavaskar was trying to make.
Pingback: News in brief: Wednesday 14 March 2007 « i3j3Cricket :: A blog for fans of Indian cricket…
I agreee Gavaskar’s comment about David Hookes is in very poor taste.
If some journalist had written the same about the Australian team, Ponting would not care at all. Since Gavasakar said that Ponting cares.
Gavaskar had his lows. His famous 36 not out in 60 overs, under Venky’s captaincy 🙂
What has Gavaskar’s 36 in 60 overs got to do with the price of fish?
Sunil is a Coward, only cowards dishonour the dead maybe India should put up on the field or shut up 🙂
Gavaskar’s reference to the David Hookes may be debatable. My understanding of the reference was more to point out the seriousness of the issue to the extent that such beaviour should not be and will not be tolerated.
JT — how is that dishonouring the dead? Sunil was just making a point on a fact. And how is Sunil a coward? huh!
Pingback: Gavaskar-Ponting war of words - Aussie view « i3j3Cricket :: A blog for fans of Indian cricket…
Yeah if Sunil is dishonouring the dead then Australians don’t have any respect for the living if they are not australian.Where was Border,greig and co.. when ponting and team pushed around Indians or when mcgrath makes dirty remarks on his opponents’ wives?
If Australians cannot eat what they dish out to others then they better shut up.
Now, Wadekar joins the party and his remark will surely upset the Aussies since he is bringing up their past …. This is almost like a remark about slavery in the USA. It was the players and now it looks Indian commentators are doing the trash talking …..
– ” I suppose this rude behaviour is in their blood and heredity”
It\’s funny that Gavaskar, who once called West Indians as barbarians is praising them now.
http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2001-02/IND_IN_WI/NOSTALGIA/30APR2002.html
Gavaskar has rightly criticised the aussie bad behavior on and off the field. Everyone has seen it. The reference to Hookes is in the right context.
Not just west indies(in the seventies- when they were admired and loved), think about Federer or Brazilian football team or Michael Schummacher or Muhammed Ali. All these champions have been loved not just because they were achievers, but,and that is a very important but,that they were nice and humble people also. Now think of John McEnroe and Mike Tyson – nobody loves them – because although they were champions – they were rude.
But this point is really too big a point for the too small a head that Ponting carries. Everyone else understands. Even the Australians do. Infact Gavaskar has done the Australian team a great service by pointing this out. If only Pointing could make ammends.