BCCI's latest decision to invoke its own regulations instead of the ICC's code of conduct, and slapping a ban of five ODI to the tempermental spinner Harbhajan Singh for slapping his India team mate S Sreesanth has opened up a can of worms.
We have two school of thoughts in this case, while some feel that Harbhajan has got away with a lighter punishment which in no way covers the humiliation that sreesanth had to go through and then there is another set of people who feel it has been rather two harsh on his part because punishing a person twice for a crime can never be justified.
In the later school are the people who are close to Harbhajan like his family, coach and etc while the former consists of critics and some former cricketers.
Well, skirmishes, hurling abuses and taunting or mocking or in a word sledging has always been a part of cricket but what happened in between the duo is much bigger than one can even imagine, it crossses all boundaries of civility, sociality and gentlenesss which the game was once associated with.
But having said that it is perhaps not the first time that we have seen something of this sort, In the recent past, in our neighbourhood Pakistan we had such an incident which has taken a toll on the career of one of the most promising cricketer. We are talking about Shoaib Akhtar.
The tempermental pacer have been in news more for wrong reasons than good. Generally known in the media circle as a spoil brat and an unusally aggressive snob, Shoaib once couldn't control his anger and hit his teammate Mohd Asif with his bat--a move which has almost brought down the curtain on his career.
But wisdom prevailed and Shoaib came knocking on PCB's door, pleading, apologing and what not but still the sword is hanging over his head and he himself doesnt know when all his hopes comes crashing in. The PCB, which sentenced Shoaib to a life ban, will be hearing his case next month.
In comparision to Shoaib, Bhajji has been rather lucky at least he has not been handed out a life ban. Rather the BCCI took a lenient view of his case and did not give the ruling based on ICC code of conduct. According to ICC's scheme of things, a player found guilty in level four offence, which Bajji is, should either be banned for life or a minimum of 5 test or 10 ODI ban should be given.
Ever since his debut in international cricket, Harbhajan has been involved in many tussles in his career and thus remains one of the most controversial figure in Indian cricket history. He has been in a war of words against the Australian players like skipper Ricky Ponting, Mathew Hadyen and Andrew Symonds in more than one occasion but this time what he did was certainly uncalled for because firstly it was a physical assault and secondly it was against his own India team mate. Moreover no one has the right to being disrepute to the game.
However, taking a different perspective on the whole issue, we will find that ever since the slapgate row came to light, Harbhajan has never tried to contradict the allegations imposed on him, rather he admitted his fault and pleaded for mercy. Unlike Shoaib, who had initially taken resort to war of words with the PCB, Bhajji has maintained a very low profile. He apologised about his behaviour and also asked the BCCI to take a considerate view on his case. So from that point of view he has done enough damage control to earn this lenient ban.
Justified or unjustified-the debate will continue but the man in question Harbhajan singh should remember one thing that if he does not want any more trouble in his career than he should be more careful in dealing with people and should have a control over his temper because if this time he fails there will be no looking back as he will surpass the point of no return.
We have two school of thoughts in this case, while some feel that Harbhajan has got away with a lighter punishment which in no way covers the humiliation that sreesanth had to go through and then there is another set of people who feel it has been rather two harsh on his part because punishing a person twice for a crime can never be justified.
In the later school are the people who are close to Harbhajan like his family, coach and etc while the former consists of critics and some former cricketers.
Well, skirmishes, hurling abuses and taunting or mocking or in a word sledging has always been a part of cricket but what happened in between the duo is much bigger than one can even imagine, it crossses all boundaries of civility, sociality and gentlenesss which the game was once associated with.
But having said that it is perhaps not the first time that we have seen something of this sort, In the recent past, in our neighbourhood Pakistan we had such an incident which has taken a toll on the career of one of the most promising cricketer. We are talking about Shoaib Akhtar.
The tempermental pacer have been in news more for wrong reasons than good. Generally known in the media circle as a spoil brat and an unusally aggressive snob, Shoaib once couldn't control his anger and hit his teammate Mohd Asif with his bat--a move which has almost brought down the curtain on his career.
But wisdom prevailed and Shoaib came knocking on PCB's door, pleading, apologing and what not but still the sword is hanging over his head and he himself doesnt know when all his hopes comes crashing in. The PCB, which sentenced Shoaib to a life ban, will be hearing his case next month.
In comparision to Shoaib, Bhajji has been rather lucky at least he has not been handed out a life ban. Rather the BCCI took a lenient view of his case and did not give the ruling based on ICC code of conduct. According to ICC's scheme of things, a player found guilty in level four offence, which Bajji is, should either be banned for life or a minimum of 5 test or 10 ODI ban should be given.
Ever since his debut in international cricket, Harbhajan has been involved in many tussles in his career and thus remains one of the most controversial figure in Indian cricket history. He has been in a war of words against the Australian players like skipper Ricky Ponting, Mathew Hadyen and Andrew Symonds in more than one occasion but this time what he did was certainly uncalled for because firstly it was a physical assault and secondly it was against his own India team mate. Moreover no one has the right to being disrepute to the game.
However, taking a different perspective on the whole issue, we will find that ever since the slapgate row came to light, Harbhajan has never tried to contradict the allegations imposed on him, rather he admitted his fault and pleaded for mercy. Unlike Shoaib, who had initially taken resort to war of words with the PCB, Bhajji has maintained a very low profile. He apologised about his behaviour and also asked the BCCI to take a considerate view on his case. So from that point of view he has done enough damage control to earn this lenient ban.
Justified or unjustified-the debate will continue but the man in question Harbhajan singh should remember one thing that if he does not want any more trouble in his career than he should be more careful in dealing with people and should have a control over his temper because if this time he fails there will be no looking back as he will surpass the point of no return.
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