"Biggest whingeing and moaning media in sport"- Sunil Gavaskar takes a jibe at English media amidst Cape Town pitch debate
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar is known for his no-nonsense opinions and he was once again at his hard-hitting best in his recent column for Mid Day.
Gavaskar believes the pitch used in the recent Cape Town Test between India and South Africa ran the risk of injuring the players out in the middle. He was baffled that the pitch didn't receive much scrutiny like the ones Indian pitches get from the Western media when they prepare rank-turners.
Sunil Gavaskar wrote about how South African legend Shaun Pollock deemed the Cape Town pitch as the curator's error, but the same isn't said when pitches in India turn. He wrote:
“These kind of excuses that the curator got it wrong is typical of the SENA countries [South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia]. When our curators make a dry pitch then it’s ‘chicanery’ as a former Australian skipper said last year after the Aussies had been walloped in the first two Test matches."
Mentioning the Test series against England at home, he added:
"In about three weeks time another Test series starts with a country that has the biggest whingeing and moaning media in sport. Anything that doesn’t suit their team will be criticised and allegations will fly thick and fast."
The second and final Test of the series ended in just two days, with India winning by seven wickets.
Sunil Gavaskar urges Indian media to rubbish western media's 'agenda'
Sunil Gavaskar played for India at a time when he believed the other cricket boards like England's used to not give them the respect they deserved. He feels they cannot digest the fact that India has become a cricketing superpower.
On this, he wrote:
"Ever since India became a power in the sport and rightfully began to assert itself in the ICC boardrooms, there has been a concerted effort to denigrate it by those from the Old Powers. They arrive with an agenda and come what may, will dish out stories for getting the brownie points at home."
He further added:
“It would be wonderful if our media rises to the challenge and takes them on word for word. That would be a clash to enjoy as thoroughly as the one that will unfold on the ground."
The first Test between India and England will be played at Hyderabad from January 25.