The problem is with SLC mate. Why did they get involved? Typical Suraj Randiv would have said "**** off" if he was asked to apologize by Indian management and even Sanga would have got the same answer. Players apologizing each other and keeping it within play is OK by me. It gets ugly when the board intervenes, and since SLC has been known for their "no-balls" attitude towards BCCI, this is very high on cards.
If it was deliberate, wasn't it nice in the end that Randiv apologised?
It would have been nice if Randiv apologized willfully. But according to my knowledge he's a border line prick, and wouldn't have apologized. I personally think such apology was not needed. But the whole episode looks very suspicious, and it looks like Sanga has set it up, and he had his reasons for it, because Sehwag was sledging Randiv all along the test series. SLC realized that they are going to be in the receiving end from BCCI, and made Randiv to apologize. Now that creates real bad breath between SLC and players and more so between SL and IND teams, because 3rd parties have forced to do it.
Actually Ind-SL encounters needed a bit of spice. Personally wouldn't mind it. As they say Familiarity breeds contempt etc
Won't happen IMO.If anything the atmosphere will be more "peaceful" (remember Ind vs Aus matches after Sydney 08).
SL players cannot be more peaceful than this. English did that few years back, and Lankans did play like they possessed (Vaas' demolition job of England at Galle). I would bet my two cents the next SL- IND encounter would be red hot with "your mummy" insults flying in the air. Of course, unless SLC orders them to keep quiet.
Well what's new about that?
I think an apology was needed. Without an apology, incidents such as this one will just end up causing bad feelings and resentment between the players of both teams. Players will go into games with a revenge mentality, "They did it to us, so we're justified in doing the same thing to them". It's bad for the game.
Will be a game of course. Sehwag is also a cool guy usually and haven't seen him having a go at opposition (other than at Randiv). Take my word, Fernando and Malinga will open the bowling, and ball will be around Sehwag's rib cage for 75% of the time and few passing close to the grill too, and both of these bowlers when fired up, known to produce jaffas. On the other hand Sehwag might concentrate more and might play conservatively and get a big score. Lankans will want him throwing his bat around to Malinga and Fernando, because that's the time theyan get Sehwag.
That is of course your opinion and it's fine. If a batsman kept sledging me for four innings, I'd definitely would never give him a century if he's near one. Whether it is hook or crook doesn't matter to me if it's within the laws. And I am not even close to a definition of a prick!
Got any link for this sledging business? (not contesting what you're saying,just genuinely curious).
I get the impression through what SL players were discussing on the field through stump mic. There were few occasions these two kept eye balling each other. It's very rare for Sehwag to sledge somebody, as I've learnt, but he would have pissed off when a debutant kept eyeballing him.
But the fact that they were willing to resort to this to deny Sehwag a hundred depicts Sri Lankan cricket in a poor light - given that they were willing to donate runs and give up hope when the match wasn't yet over. What does Sehwag having 100* or 99* mean in the larger scheme of things? Just makes the team look petty. Sri Lankan fans should be more pissed off than the Indians to see their team do that.
More of the same then?
Actually Sehwag hasn't done the whining,the Ind media has.He was gracious enough to hide his resentment yesterday even going to the extent of saying he had seen bowlers do it all the time and that it wasn't really a surprise.Question for you-If Ojha had deliberately thrown his wicket away to Malinga to keep Murali stranded on 799,and if Murali had later expressed disappointed over it,what would your reaction have been?In the larger scheme of things,799 or 800 doesn't really matter either.
Sehwag hardly whined, he was just brutally honest (as always) and said it was pretty disappointing. He also said that he understands that teams don't want opposition players to get hundreds against them and his initial reaction was that it's fair enough. He only said later that it wasn't in the spirit in the game when he saw the margin of the no-ball and how blatant it was.
