Gentleman's game

No more, perhaps. "Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game," said an upset Team India skipper Anil Kumble after his team were beaten by Australia in the second Test in Sydney on Sunday. The second Test that was ridden with controversies and bowled by wrong umpiring decisions put the visitors on the backfoot. India spinner Harbhajan Singh has been banned for three Tests for his alleged racist remarks against Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds on Day 3 of the second Test in Sydney. The altercation has not just cast a shadow over India's tour Down Under, but the relationship between the two teams if there was any has soured. Symonds claimed that Harbhajan called him 'a monkey' while the two were involved in a volley of words. Unlike various other team sport, cricket has witnessed fewer incidents of players coming up with intimidating tactics to outplay their opponents. Racial remarks during the game is emerging as a big problem in cricket. It was an Aussie player who was first banned in the history of the game for racial abuse. It all started in 2002-2003 cricket series, when Darren Lehmann of Australia was suspended for five One-dayers over a racial remark in the earshot of the Sri Lankan dressing room. Then during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, Aussie wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist accused Pakistan's then man in gloves Rashid Latif of racial abuse. But due to lack of evidence, Latif was let off. And now the axe has fallen on the Indian cricket team, as the Turbanator has been banned for three Tests after the ICC Match Referee Mike Procter upheld the Aussie charge that he had racially abused Symonds. Although the off-spinner got complete support from the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and the team, all went in vain. In fact, the Indians also lodged a complaint against Aussie spinner Brad Hogg for using abusive language during the second Test. Harbhajan refuted the allegations of making racial remarks against the Aussie all-rounder. It is to be noted that Symonds has been involved in a couple of incidents with Indian players and spectators during Australia's tour of India in October, 2007. In the One-dayer played in Baroda and the Twenty20 match in Mumbai, he claimed to have been racially abused with 'monkey chants'. There have also been reports, that during the series, Symonds was involved in verbal spats with pacer S Sreesanth and Harbhajan. Keeping this in mind, there is a possibility that Harbhajan has been a victim of false allegations of racial abuse, it could have been just an on-field banter between the two players during the second Test. The BCCI has protested against the ban imposed on the spinner, and has decided to lodge an appeal with the ICC's legal counsel. And agitated India, that is totally against racism, is hoping that their very own 'Bhajji' gets respite from the controversial ban. In a nation where cricket is religiously followed, the unfortunate turn of events have hurt the sentiments of the Indians. With such unhealthy incidents the gentleman's game might soon turn out to be a war pitch for vandals. 'May the best team win' that plays with true sportsman spirit. Not only the players, but the spectators have been hurling racist remarks rather than hooting for their home-team. With such nasty incidents hanging over the cricket pitch it looks like the game is now no longer played in the right spirit. If this continues, cricket will be no more remembered as a gentleman's game.