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Racism row spurns public outrage
It could have become a war between nations, but it hasn't, as even the Australians have reacted with disgust at their team's behaviour.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: January 09, 2008 02:10 PM IST
Read Time:2 min
New Delhi:
Strong words came from one of Australian cricket's most respected writers Peter Roebuck, who said that Ricky Ponting must be sacked as captain of the Australian cricket team.
"If Cricket Australia cares a fig for the tattered reputation of our national team in our national sport, it will not for a moment longer tolerate the sort of arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain and his senior players over the past few days.
"The only surprising part of it is that the Indians have not packed their bags and gone. In the past few days Ponting has presided over a performance that dragged the game into the pits. He turned a group of professional cricketers into a pack of wild dogs," he added.
Less harsh but no less critical was public opinion in Australia, where newspaper polls on the Australian team's conduct, ruled guilty against Ponting and his boys of damaging the image of the game and of their team.
Back home in India, the outrage is mounting from people on the streets, to celebrities, to former cricketers.
''India has been wronged. India leads cricket in the world in terms of revenue. India should leave the game and this series should not be recorded at all,'' said Irfan Khan, Actor.
"It's my personal opinion that things were dictated by Ricky Ponting. Even in the umpiring case what happened Ponting in fact had instigated the umpire to take a wrong decision. He should have been banned,'' said E Prasanna, Former India player.
"Steve is a close friend of mine. He can't be biased. But it seems that time has come for him to say goodbye. Age may be a factor," said A V Jaiprakash, International umpire, Close friend of S. Buckner
On the streets of Bangalore, one witnessed a good-natured dig at the two men, who have become the face of cricket's biggest crisis. Regardless of how the crisis ends, these two won't be visting anytime soon.
It could have become a war between nations, but it hasn't, as even the Australians have reacted with disgust at their team's behaviour. Strong words came from one of Australian cricket's most respected writers Peter Roebuck, who said that Ricky Ponting must be sacked as captain of the Australian cricket team.
"If Cricket Australia cares a fig for the tattered reputation of our national team in our national sport, it will not for a moment longer tolerate the sort of arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain and his senior players over the past few days.
"The only surprising part of it is that the Indians have not packed their bags and gone. In the past few days Ponting has presided over a performance that dragged the game into the pits. He turned a group of professional cricketers into a pack of wild dogs," he added.
Less harsh but no less critical was public opinion in Australia, where newspaper polls on the Australian team's conduct, ruled guilty against Ponting and his boys of damaging the image of the game and of their team.
Back home in India, the outrage is mounting from people on the streets, to celebrities, to former cricketers.
''India has been wronged. India leads cricket in the world in terms of revenue. India should leave the game and this series should not be recorded at all,'' said Irfan Khan, Actor.
"It's my personal opinion that things were dictated by Ricky Ponting. Even in the umpiring case what happened Ponting in fact had instigated the umpire to take a wrong decision. He should have been banned,'' said E Prasanna, Former India player.
"Steve is a close friend of mine. He can't be biased. But it seems that time has come for him to say goodbye. Age may be a factor," said A V Jaiprakash, International umpire, Close friend of S. Buckner
On the streets of Bangalore, one witnessed a good-natured dig at the two men, who have become the face of cricket's biggest crisis. Regardless of how the crisis ends, these two won't be visting anytime soon.
Topics mentioned in this article
Cricket Sreesanth
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