Indian cricketing legend turned commentator Sunil Gavaskar has come to the defence of Indian fans and crowds for their unwavering support for Team India. Gavaskar, who is enjoying his 74th birthday today, stated in his column for mid-day that it is only but “natural” for fans to support their home side, and those who take aim at Indian cricket and Indian fans are hypocrites.
Gavaskar further said that it is not an “Indian” only thing, but every cricketing community does the same, and yet some single out the sub-continent fans for doing so.
“It’s only natural that the crowds will support their own team and won’t cheer the opponents, but to suggest that it happens only in India is ridiculous. This is not an Indian phenomena, but happens in every country where home crowds keep silent when a boundary is hit against their bowlers or their batters get out,” the legendary opener wrote.
To support his claim, the original Little Master cited the ongoing Ashes 2023 series. The Ashes series, which sees two heavyweights of the cricket fraternity, England and Australia, fight for ultimate glory, is filled with drama and controversy.
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Even in the ongoing Ashes, we have seen the English crowd mock Steve Smith for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal and take aim at David Warner for being dismissed by Stuart Broad a whopping 17 times. But the English crowd took it to the next level when they called the Aussies’ “cheats” after Alex Carry stumped Jonny Bairstow in the second Ashes Test.
“Nowhere has it been more apparent than at the current Ashes series. What bugs is the condescending way, overseas commentators, when they come to India, keep saying how quiet the Indian crowd at the ground is when an Indian batter gets out or when an Indian bowler is hit for a boundary,” Gavaskar further wrote.
Gavaskar rightly points out that it is only normal that fans will be biased towards their home side and it is unfair when overseas commentators criticise Indian fans and crowds for not appreciating the touring team.
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