Mumbai: “Tum saala ghulam log hamari jooti ke neeche hi rahega” (You slaves will only remain under our feet) – the line from the movie ‘Lagaan’ (Land Tax) spoken by an Englishman to Indians sketches the idea foreigners carried in the past. It wasn’t different in sports too. Sledging an Indian cricketer and walking off with a sense of pleasure was like ironing a shirt before taking an interview. The Aussies used it as a weapon to charm (trap) opponents till the bug spread like a virus.
Earlier, an Indian cricketer preferred not to reply to a nasty word. They either felt intimidated or chose to take the safe lane but a breed of tough guys and the sport’s immense growth altered the approach.
In 1981, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) witnessed a one of a kind drama that portrayed an Indian in an Australian light. The belligerent side of the then captain Sunil Gavaskar grinned.
Watch: Why Rubel Hossain sledged Virat Kohli?
How? Well, Gavaskar was batting with Chetan Chauhan with pace great Dennis Lillee making the leather talk when a leg-before decision went against him.
In the three-Test series, Gavaskar was dismissed for a duck in Sydney and after a string of failures (10, 23 and 5) thereafter, he finally found form and the duo piled 165 runs for the first wicket with the original Little Master batting on 70.
While Gavaskar said he edged the ball, Lillee kept pointing at his pads. Umpire Rex Whitehead – who made his debut in the series – was called names.
However, Lillee– known for verbal duels – did not mince his words and infuriated the cricketer to such magnitude that he decided to walk off with Chauhan.
The series had been obstinate with controversial umpiring. But this time, Gavaskar’s patience had run out.
Though Chauhan returned after being convinced by the team management, his concentration went for a toss and he did not last long. But Gavaskar had made his point.
A per cent of a staple Australian blood had trickled and tiptoed into the Indian veins.
Since then, the Indians never thought twice before sledging the sledgers.
Ravi Shastri, the current Team India Director, did not think twice before using the ‘F’ word against Mike Whitney when the latter picked on him while fielding as a 12th man. Whitney said: “If you leave the crease, I’ll break your f*****g head” to which Shastri replied: “"If you could bat as well as you can talk you wouldn't be the f*****g 12th man.”
The Australians, riding on their unbeaten streak in Tests, came to India in 2001.
They won the first Test in Mumbai and were on the verge of being triumphant in the second in Kolkata when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid single-handedly swung the action in India’s favour.
The Indian team led by the aggressive Sourav Ganguly decided to serve the Aussies their own medicine.
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Not only the 28-year-old skipper kept the veteran Steve Waugh waiting at the toss, he also ensured that the Australian captain’s reception was at par with how the Indians are welcomed Down Under.
And it was not a one man effort, the team joined the chorus.
When Ganguly dropped a chance to get Waugh out, the Australian came up with his signature line: “You just dropped the Test, mate.”
But when Harbhajan Singh dismissed Waugh, it was Rahul Dravid – the good boy – who replied: “Who’s given away the Test now?”
One-time India wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel was still a teenager when he decided to have a go at Waugh in the cricketer’s last Test. “Come on, just one more of the famous slog-sweeps before you finish.” Waugh was baffled but did not miss out on the wit.
“Respect me, when I made my Test debut, you were still in your nappies," he said.
Not to forget, the ‘monkeygate’ scandal where Andrew Symonds complained against Harbhajan. Symonds kept provocating him in the middle to which the Indian spinner replied saying, “Teri Maa Ki” which the Australian misunderstood.
(Photo: AP)
The exchange of ideas, abusives, filth kept flowing and now, situation is such that Virat Kohli keeping calm is abnormal.
So, can one expect banters when the two sides meet each other in the ICC World Cup 2015 semifinal? Though ICC is acting class monitor in the tournament, no India-Australia clash is musical unless words are exchanged.
Kohli, after all, is the rogue to Australians and the romance should continue.
(Photo: AP)
