I don't regret this episode - Gambhir

[silentstriker]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/377914.html

Gautam Gambhir, the Indian opener, says he does not regret elbowing Shane Watson, an action that earned him a one-Test ban. Gambhir, who missed the final Test of the series India won 2-0, also felt "sledging should be stopped" if the authorities felt what he did was wrong.

"No gentleman can hear things that Aussies were saying in Delhi. If what I did was wrong, then even sledging should be stopped, it has no place in the game," he said. "Aussies sledge from all corners, they sledged at me in Bangalore, Mohali and then in Delhi. I could have taken [their sledging] only to a point but they tend to get personal which is just not on.

"I agree that I shouldn't have crossed a certain line but people should take the holistic view rather than blaming just me for the episode," he said. "Frankly, I don't regret the Watson episode."

Gambhir was banned for one Test by match referee Chris Broad after he nudged Watson with his elbow while taking a run on the first day of the third Test in Delhi. He had arguments with the bowler prior to the incident and later even got involved in a confrontation with Simon Katich after the bowler appeared to have stopped him from taking a run. Gambhir pleaded guilty to the ban, but appealed against the match referee's decision, an appeal rejected by ICC commissioner Albie Sachs. Watson was fined 10% of match fee.

"They don't like it when the opposition reacts the way we did. The Australians never thought we would come hard at them, that's why they reacted the way they did." Gambhir said he was unlikely to change the manner in which he approaches the Australians. "I like to be aggressive, I am a fighter who plays for his team, his country and will do everything to restore that pride and never you'd see me taking a backward step."

 

[Top_Cat]

"But mommmmmy, they did it toooooo!"

I like that he's aggressive and think he batted like a champ but deliberately making physical contact, mug's game. And bloody childish.

 

[duffer]

"But mommmmmy, they did it toooooo!"

Don't see that at all in what he said tbh. Just telling everyone who was so aghast by his behaviour how it is.

I agree that the elbow was a bit stupid but he admitted he probably crossed the line there.

 

[Top_Cat]

Don't see that at all in what he said tbh. Just telling everyone who was so aghast by his behaviour how it is.

Everyone knows how it is and has for ages. In life, people get insulted, abused, etc. all the time. Whether sledging is 'part of the game' or whatever, the Aussies do it and will continue to do so and this is pretty well-known.

Adults rise above abuse and prove their worth through deeds, children retaliate. He did it through deeds too so dumping the elbow was even more inexplicable. Can't guarantee it but I have a fair hunch he'd have been more contrite had India lost the series.

In the overall context of life, it was a minor incident. But it was still incredibly childish. Grown men, tapping each other on the sporting field and when questioned, point out what the other guy said as justification. It's so playground.

 

[sirdj]

Subcontinent players do not like the exchange if it gets personal. Its a cultural thing.
As subcontinent teams get better and dominate some of the usual sides be prepared for someone using the bat a-la Miandad in the near future.
Why does someone have to be hit and sent to a hospital for the Cricket administrators to react?

 

[duffer]

Everyone knows how it is and has for ages. In life, people get insulted, abused, etc. all the time. Whether sledging is 'part of the game' or whatever, the Aussies do it and will continue to do so and this is pretty well-known.

Adults rise above abuse and prove their worth through deeds, children retaliate. He did it through deeds too so dumping the elbow was even more inexplicable. Can't guarantee it but I have a fair hunch he'd have been more contrite had India lost the series.

In the overall context of life, it was a minor incident. But it was still incredibly childish. Grown men, tapping each other on the sporting field and when questioned, point out what the other guy said as justification. It's so playground.

Agree with your general tone but feel you're disregarding the Watson factor in all of this, he seemed to be lippy to any and every batsman he bowled to regardless of the quality of his bowling at the time and imo came off as a prize tit all the way throughout the series. Going on that I don't mind the little love tap he gave him.

EDIT: Ok, scratch that I went off on a tangent I didn't mean to but to sum up have no issue with what Gambhir has just said, he's not the first bloke to have done something like this and won't be the last either. For the most part they're all just as bad as each other and it's *yawn* inducing stuff.

 

[sirdj]

Everyone knows how it is and has for ages. In life, people get insulted, abused, etc. all the time. Whether sledging is 'part of the game' or whatever, the Aussies do it and will continue to do so and this is pretty well-known.

Adults rise above abuse and prove their worth through deeds, children retaliate. He did it through deeds too so dumping the elbow was even more inexplicable. Can't guarantee it but I have a fair hunch he'd have been more contrite had India lost the series.

In the overall context of life, it was a minor incident. But it was still incredibly childish. Grown men, tapping each other on the sporting field and when questioned, point out what the other guy said as justification. It's so playground.

Nowhere in real life except in a prison does anyone have to deal with a constant stream of abuse for over 7 or 8 hours. I am pretty sure that even your good self will crack under such a strain.

 

[Jono]

Like it or hate it, its just proof that the new-age Indian player has a completely different attitude to cricket and facing ****-talking from the opposition.

Its amazing if you compare Sachin, Dravid, Laxman (although even he told Johnson where to go after he continously talked ****) to Uthappa, Zaheer, Harbhajan and now Gambhir.

 

[silentstriker]

Although, so much for his initial story about 'accidental' elbow....

Like it or hate it, its just proof that the new-age Indian player has a completely different attitude to cricket and facing ****-talking from the opposition.

Its amazing if you compare Sachin, Dravid, Laxman (although even he told Johnson where to go after he continously talked ****) to Uthappa, Zaheer, Harbhajan and now Gambhir.

Yea, I like it. Hopefully, they can learn to target opposition players until one loses it. Nothing will happen until there's a brawl out on the field. Rooting for that day TBH.

 

[sirdj]

Given the Afridi incident, no one was going to take that excuse seriously, it was just a ploy.

 

[Top_Cat]

Agree with your general tone but feel you're disregarding the Watson factor in all of this, he seemed to be lippy to any and every batsman he bowled to regardless of the quality of his bowling at the time and imo came off as a prize tit all the way throughout the series. Going on that I don't mind the little love tap he gave him.

EDIT: Ok, scratch that I went off on a tangent I didn't mean to but to sum up have no issue with what Gambhir has just said, he's not the first bloke to have done something like this and won't be the last either. For the most part they're all just as bad as each other and it's *yawn* inducing stuff.

Agree with both the Watto behaviour and the fact it's all very yawnsome. I never sledged a bloke in my life but have had the crap sledged out of me before. Was pretty funny, really.

Nowhere in real life except in a prison does anyone have to deal with a constant stream of abuse for over 7 or 8 hours. I am pretty sure that even your good self will crack under such a strain.

Haha, ex-Police here, have dealt with far worse verbal and physical abuse. It depends on the context too; a suspect who's ranting and raving about being arrested, etc. is far less threatening than the quiet crook who looks you fair in the eye and says "You're dead.". My current job is more sedate but there's plenty of criticism, stuff which stings more than anything some bloke during a game can level at me.

Have played cricket too and sledging is the same regardless of the level. I was never able to take it seriously, couldn't help but laugh at the attempts to bait me. If you don't let it get to you, you'll generally get left alone. Blokes like Lara, Tendulkar, etc. have shown sledging them is the worst thing you can do. And as I said, Gambhir was absolutely on top of the Aussies with the bat and if he'd just kept a lid on it and got to his ton like he did, the Aussies would have realised sledging him was pointless. Now he's guaranteed that he'd going to get it worse from now on.

 

[sirdj]

And for those who did not understand why the BCCI were behaving the way the were.......The Indians & the BCCI believe that the laws on conduct on the field are not fair....they allow certain kinds of behaviour but punish reaction to that behaviour............So they feel no need to stick to such unfair rules and will resort to coersion and blackmail.

 

[Polo23]

I have no problem with what Gambhir did or said, and he shouldnt have any regrets. Watson is a ****, i'm impressed Gambhir didn't smack him over the head with his bat.

 

[Sanz]

"But mommmmmy, they did it toooooo!"

I like that he's aggressive and think he batted like a champ but deliberately making physical contact, mug's game. And bloody childish.

Look for long you and most Aussies have defended whatever gets said on the field in the name of sledging and many of us have said and/or have felt that time will come when someone will be attacked physically on the ground. because of that. Gambhir's action is just a step toward it. If the abuse and insult doesn't stop, time will come when some one will be attacked more violently.

I am not justifying Gambhir's action but the fact that he doesn't feel guilty about what he did is just proof enough of the abuse he was getting in the middle. If the Aussies or any other team did it again, Gambhir will probably do it again.

 

[sirdj]

Haha, ex-Police here, have dealt with far worse verbal and physical abuse. It depends on the context too; a suspect who's ranting and raving about being arrested, etc. is far less threatening than the quiet crook who looks you fair in the eye and says "You're dead.". My current job is more sedate but there's plenty of criticism, stuff which stings more than anything some bloke during a game can level at me.

Have played cricket too and sledging is the same regardless of the level. I was never able to take it seriously, couldn't help but laugh at the attempts to bait me. If you don't let it get to you, you'll generally get left alone. Blokes like Lara, Tendulkar, etc. have shown sledging them is the worst thing you can do. And as I said, Gambhir was absolutely on top of the Aussies with the bat and if he'd just kept a lid on it and got to his ton like he did, the Aussies would have realised sledging him was pointless. Now he's guaranteed that he'd going to get it worse from now on.

Again its a culture thing......in India certain kind of swearing is an absolute no-no. It is just not done so kids do not grow up facing this kind of stuff. I don't think Tendulkar is immune to sledging.....else he would not have told Akram off.

 

[Sanz]

Like it or hate it, its just proof that the new-age Indian player has a completely different attitude to cricket and facing ****-talking from the opposition.

Its amazing if you compare Sachin, Dravid, Laxman (although even he told Johnson where to go after he continously talked ****) to Uthappa, Zaheer, Harbhajan and now Gambhir.

And If guys like VVS and Gambhir are giving you back, it is not too hard to figure out how much crap is being said to them in the middle.

 

[Sanz]

Have played cricket too and sledging is the same regardless of the level. I was never able to take it seriously, couldn't help but laugh at the attempts to bait me. If you don't let it get to you, you'll generally get left alone. Blokes like Lara, Tendulkar, etc. have shown sledging them is the worst thing you can do. And as I said, Gambhir was absolutely on top of the Aussies with the bat and if he'd just kept a lid on it and got to his ton like he did, the Aussies would have realised sledging him was pointless. Now he's guaranteed that he'd going to get it worse from now on.

You dont get it, do you ? And you are not the only one who has played cricket, so please do not try to pass your experience as if that is some sort of universal fact.

 

[Top_Cat]

Look for long you and most Aussies have defended whatever gets said on the field in the name of sledging and many of us have said and/or have felt that time will come when someone will be attacked physically on the ground. because of that. Gambhir's action is just a step toward it. If the abuse and insult doesn't stop, time will come when some one will be attacked more violently.

I am not justifying Gambhir's action but the fact that he doesn't feel guilty about what he did is just proof enough of the abuse he was getting in the middle. If the Aussies or any other team did it again, Gambhir will probably do it again.

Don't agree with that entirely considering not everyone reacted physically and Gambhir has form for exactly that type of behaviour. Sure he was obviously getting heaps but he's also more likely to react. Both he and the Aussies need to tone it down. I get the cultural argument but we're not talking about blokes who are strangers to one another here and, as with many cultural misunderstandings, familiarity plays a huge part. For professionals who've played against each other multiple times, it gets to be less of an excuse over time.

 

[silentstriker]

Funniest thing for me is 'sending someone off' gets you a fine, but sledging someone is OK. Ah well.

One day soon, let's hope.

 

[sirdj]

I get the cultural argument but we're not talking about blokes who are strangers to one another here and, as with many cultural misunderstandings, familiarity plays a huge part. For professionals who've played against each other multiple times, it gets to be less of an excuse over time.

Why?? I just dont buy that line. Should dealing with a racist person on a regular basis make you or me less immune to racism?