Mind your own business, Ponting tells Gavaskar

[J-Essence]

Taking exception to Sunil Gavaskar’s recent comments on his team, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting launched a no-holds-barred counter-attack on Sunday, labelling the Indian batting legend a hypocrite and stopping just short of asking him to mind his own business.

Gavaskar had said that Ricky Ponting’s side was unpopular because of their “awful” on-field behaviour. He said not only fellow competitors, but also the followers of the game were “gladdened” after Australia lost five consecutive matches to England and New Zealand.

Ponting clearly was not amused by Gavaskar's tirade and launched a scathing counter-attack. “I don’t know if there are too many popular winners. If you are really dominating teams for a long period of time, I don’t think you’’ll have many supporters.”

He asked Gavaskar to introspect and analyse the way India played their cricket. “We all know the way he played his cricket, don’t we? If he is talking about us, what about the way India have played their cricket over the last few years.”

Ponting then pointed to India’s miserable Test record in 2006, when they won just three out of the 12 Tests they played, while Australia enjoyed an unbeaten run. “I know who I would rather be going to watch. Have a look at how many Test matches they have won,” he said.

He laid the blame for India’s poor record on Gavaskar. “He (Gavaskar) has been a big part of that, he has been a selector and he has been on the coaching committee. They might want to look at the way they play their own cricket.”

Ponting reminded Gavaskar of his attempt to drag opening partner Chetan Chauhan from the MCG during a Test in 1981. “I don’t mind if ‘Mr Perfect’ goes on about our team. We are not going to keep everyone happy. But for some of these guys that have done it all themselves, it’s pretty high and mighty for them to say that.

"I know it (on-field behaviour) is something we pay a lot of attention to. But for him to go on about behaviour, not many captains have dragged their teams off the field, either.”

Gavaskar strikes back

Reacting to Ponting’s diatribe, Sunil Gavaskar on Monday justified labelling the Australian team’s behaviour as “awful” over the last decade and said that someday, “a hot-headed guy” might actually “whack the one (Australian) who abuses him”.

Speaking on ESPN’s Breakfast Show Taking Guard — to be aired at 8 am on Tuesday — the Indian legend stuck to his guns and underlined the behavioural differences between the current Australian side and the West Indies’ teams of the 1970s and ’80s.

“The West Indians were popular winners, there was affection about their players despite the fact that they were beating you in three days. They did not abuse their opponents. (Even) when they were dominating world cricket, the West Indians did not resort to personal abuse — they just played the game hard and there was nothing untoward in their behaviour,” said Gavaskar.

Clarifying his 1981 MCG walkout, Gavaskar said, “The reason the walk-off took place was simply because I was abused by the Australians. Some day, (a more) hot-headed guy might actually get down and whack the one who abuses him,” he added.

“If the Australians use this kind of language in a bar, would they get away with it? …There’s the example of the late David Hookes.” (Hookes was killed after a blow to his head during a bar brawl).

Gavaskar also reacted to personal remarks made at him by Ponting. “To what he said about the way I played my cricket, I do not know what he’s looking at. And when he talks about India, we are not talking about winning matches here; we are talking about the behaviour.”

http://www.hindustantimes.in/htcrick...4,00160142.htm

[qadoos]

truth hurts, Gavaskar is right, about what he said.

[sohaib17]

no man i think GAVASKER said a bit too much and RICKY is right what the heck India is doing in past yr or so

Indians are just jealous of not being at top and are very racial compare to AUSSIES

[qadoos]

matter of opinion but I do not think Gavaskar is like that.

[iafzal]

This is so funny, Response from Ricky just did nothing but proved Gavaskers point of how high strung the aussies are ON or OFF the field.

Can't believe Ricky fell in the trap just proved Gavasker right

[Farhad]

A man who scores 36* carrying his bat in a 60-over innings of a WC match has the gall to talk of others' approach!

[Fish]

Three years ago, Gavaskar had said that he was concerned about the impact Australia's behaviour and sledging would have, but now he feels that their behaviour has greatly improved after Cricket Australia implemented its spirit of cricket guidelines. "I think they're really much better than they were about four, five years ago. I think the Australians play their cricket hard and occasionally they go a bit over the top but their general behaviour has improved," said Gavaskar. "I don't think there's any reason to worry about the Australian team. They have improved since Cricket Australia implemented the spirit of cricket and they are much more aware of what is acceptable.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/c...ry/244790.html

[Fish]

On top of that Gavaskar is a dishonest person.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that a complaint registered with JP Nagar police station, by Assistant RoC PG Meena, alleged that Gavaskar and five others raised Rs4.65crore (around US$1,300,000) through public issue to float a company for manufacturing footwear and other leather goods, but defrauded the investors by not paying them any dividend since then.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/c...ry/138844.html

[purplehaze]

Originally Posted by Farhad A man who scores 36* carrying his bat in a 60-over innings of a WC match has the gall to talk of others' approach!

By that logic mediamen can never comment upon any player's bad on-field conduct since most of the mediamen have never played cricket.

[Swaraj!!]

Originally Posted by Farhad A man who scores 36* carrying his bat in a 60-over innings of a WC match has the gall to talk of others' approach!

I wish you would re-read the post where-in he says again that he is talking not of performance but of behaviour.........

[Farhad]

Originally Posted by sp10006 I wish you would re-read the post where-in he says again that he is talking not of performance but of behaviour.........

Nevertheless, Ponting has reminded him about the performances of Indian team too.

[saffer]

they are both a little right...and both a little wrong...

Can there really be any argument that the australian behaviour at times is a little brash ? They aren't exactly "good winners" ....and they do tend to make stupid statements...like mgraths "we will win the ashes 5-0" and buchanan's "england and new zealand dont give us any competition" ....they can be their own worste enemies at times...


the sight of the aussies laughing and mocking south africa from their dressing room when they scored over 400 woked the guys up...and we all know what good that did australia...

when they started to lose...teams really are rubbing their faces in it ....they made their own bed...they have to sleep in it...

[adit_sh]

To you all dudes - Gavaskar has just pointed out how Aussies are on their behavior on field. It is nothing to do with their cricket. They are no.1 no doubt abt that. Their on field behavoiur is awfull. plenty of incidences to cite out, not only their cricketers but also the crowds. they are racists. I dont know how far you remember during 84 world series championship finals(bw ind pak) there was a poster reading bus conductors Vs bus drivers. If you compare them to WI, what he says is they are far superior no.1 than Aussies. About indian cricket, they always play the same way , no difference since 1970.....so dont compare our cricket with aussies or WI of 70's.

[James]

Yes Ricky, I think Sunny should be very apologetic for being right and just saying what everyone thinks.

[akpower]

Originally Posted by Farhad A man who scores 36* carrying his bat in a 60-over innings of a WC match has the gall to talk of others' approach!

Whats that 36* got to do w/ the present arguments between the two?? Gavaskar is right, and Pontings been made to look like an idiot again.

[Rickz]

Originally Posted by akpower Whats that 36* got to do w/ the present arguments between the two?? Gavaskar is right, and Pontings been made to look like an idiot again.

Agree with you mate.