These are, supposedly, times of change in Australian cricket. A ‘cultural review’ in the aftermath of the ball-tampering saga found that all wasn’t well with how cricket was being played and run in the country. Yet, days ahead of the much-awaited four-Test series against India, the Australian media appears to have not foregone an old habit of attempted ‘mental disintegration’.
An unidentified Australian media outlet has brandished the visiting Indian team as ‘scaredy bats’ prior to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener at Adelaide from Thursday, 6 December. An apparent dig at the touring party’s ‘fear’ of “bounce”, “dark” and the “unknown”, the report by a popular tabloid Down Under has invited flak from numerous journalists and the public in Australia.
First openly pointed out by Richard Hinds, a journalist with ABC Australia, the report sought to imply that India were intimidated by the “bounce” on offer at Brisbane (venue of the first T20I to open India’s tour in November), while being scared of the “unknown” at Perth and the “dark” at Adelaide – a reference to India’s refusal to play a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Even before it could incite Indian users on Twitter, the report was pounced upon by several readers in Australia itself.
The tone taken by the outlet is particularly surprising given the opinion of several ex-Aussie cricketers, who have suggested not riling up the No. 1-ranked Indian team – and their captain Virat Kohli in particular.
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