Well, I read a few blogs about the ongoing spat blown up during the Sydney test and is still going on. It threatened to jeopardize even the tour. It raised some kinda philosophical questions. The world is round they say. Darwinji had to try and strive so hard and bear what not when he said to the whole earth in its face "U r all Monkeys." I mean the theory of evolution. It would be amusing as to guess what would his reactions to the Bhajji's words of wisdom to Symonds. Some people do not have the capability to grasp the inner meaning of things. Skimming on surface is so easy and Aussies are good surfers from what I know. In reality from all what I surmise is that somewhere deep inside we have forgotten that we are all human beings first and foremost.
In second case even after coming into an age of so much scientific advance showing that all humans share same ancestors and that any kind of racial discrimination is a farce, it is all of no avail. Aussies blame others of not understanding their culture, which they use as a tool to justify their sledging and misbehaviour on field. On the other hand they shirk in horror when paid back in the same coin.
I read somewhere,” we all want equality , but only with our superiors." How true it sounds at this stage. I guess Indian team and public both would not have reacted the same way if we had lost in same conditions to Bangladesh or some other 3rd rate nation. It's the cry of a wounded ego. India is perhaps one of the few cricketing nations, which can challenge Oz and get away with it. The brilliantly mistimed decisions by the umpires have added fuel to the fire. To me, it seems these Umpires represent a dying breed no longer needed to perform any function except to keep the looks of the pitch intact. With technical tools capable of super human ways of detecting catches, subtle snicks and other such ambiguous facets involved in the game, umpires are as good as dodos. However, we should never forget that above all cricket is a game, good as any other. As with this, the primary aim is to judge the physical strength/stamina involved in carrying out the technical aspects and nuances of the game. However the nation(read India), bereft of true national heroes, now seeks instant Nirvana in bunch of Ball chasers and Dancers cum singers cum lovers cum fighters or precisely actors.
And why not? After all we are the new face of the world the toast of the whole town. After being rebuked and tortured and mocked for 52-53 years of gaining Independence, if it be called so, we are the new poster boys. Our institutes(IITs/IIMs) are new age shrines of intelligentsia. Our women (Ash/ Shilpa) are most gorgeous ones. And still we are racists when we simply assert our arrival at the international arena as the others do.
One last thing, we Indians are racists by birth, whether we accept or not. What else you call a country where the first question a stranger most likely to face is about his/her identity in their own motherland.. NE guys/gals are fondly referred to as "Chinkis", North Indians in South are called Northies and South indians are Khattas, Mallus,Tamilians. It is a nation divided in Biharis,Marathis and everything else except Indians. The nationalistic unity occurs only when there is a Cricket match or a war. Baanki time we are Hindus, Muslims, and all else except Indians. So I do not take any offense when Symonds accused Harbhajan of being racist. Because it is exactly what most of us are brought up as. So thanks Symonds for showing us the mirror , in a wrong way even though.
