Kohli bashing not on, Mr Sutherland

NEW DELHI : On Wednesday evening, Vinod Rai, head of the Indian cricket Board’s Committee of Administrators, vehemently denied that the BCCI had made a U-turn after complaining to the ICC against Australia’s unfair methods in using the Decision Review System in the controversial Bangalore Test.

To persistent queries on why India backed down, Rai defended the Board withdrawing its complaint, saying India’s decision to settle the issue was purely to respect the “spirit of the game” and that there was no place for bad blood between the two cricket super powers.

To justify the faith in the Indian cricket team, and especially the robust Virat Kohli, Rai even went to the extent of claiming that he knew the players “better than the media” that has covered the Indian cricket team for several years.

BCCI SHOWS RESTRAINT

True to its profile and lofty credentials, Rai’s committee never spoke ill of Steve Smith or the Australians, even after Virat Kohli hinted that Australia had cheated multiple times over DRS in the series.

On the contrary, James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive officer, failed to show that maturity.

Sutherland’s comment that “Virat Kohli doesn’t know how to spell the word ‘sorry’,” is illtimed and unexpected from a seasoned cricket administrator. Unlike the BCCI officials, Sutherland has let indiscretion get the better of him.

BCCI’s act of restraint at the height of DRS row must be lauded, especially after Sutherland dubbed Kohli’s criticism of Steve Smith ‘outrageous’. India not only showed respect to Australia but also their superbly gifted captain Steve Smith, who was honest enough to admit that his “Dressing Room Review” was unacceptable.

At a time when Sutherland should have shown restraint and good spirit, he took on the India captain in a radio interview, and just like the jingoistic Australia media, madly went over the top.

Interestingly, in December 2016, Sutherland’s Cricket Australia had voted Virat Kohli as their ODI Captain of the Year. The Aussies were effusive in their praise of Kohli then.

Now, Sutherland has shown another side of himself .

If Kohli doesn’t know how to spell ‘sorry’, then double-faced Sutherland perhaps doesn’t know how to spell ‘shame’.