Monday January 07, 2008
Harbhajan banned for three-matches for alleged "racial abuse". Umpires haven't heard or seen anything. Mike Procter himself came on camera and said that the umpires told him they have not heard or seen anything. Did he see anything from the TV footage? It does not seem so. If there is any evidence, we have the right to know it. Aussie players claim something. Indian players claim otherwise. Two parties are not agreeing on what really happened. Under the circumstances, you expect the ICC referee to dismiss the charge on the lack of evidence. Instead, he punished Harbhajan. Did he go by just the word from Aussie players alone?
Now, by this process anyone can be punished. Any team can gang against the better players of the opponent team and claim racial abuse or anything that can get a ban! If a Muttiah Muralidaran bowls well, previously they claimed chucking, shouted "no ball", wrote "expert" columns about his bowling action and so on. Now, it seems that there is even a new trick - claim "racial abuse", get a ban for 2/3 matches and then you can bag the series!!
If BCCI believes injustice has been done, then they should just pull out and send a strong message to ICC. It is ICC that needs India and it's large cricket crazy population. Not the other way around. It is economically viable to have our own tournaments, entertain public, have fun and make money. BCCI has to learn from the ICL example and start something within India and expand.
