BCCI president Sharad Pawar announced on Tuesday that talks are on with Steve Waugh, the former Australian captain, to hire him as the sledging coach for team India. This sudden move has come in the aftermath of the Sydney ODI which India lost. Ishant Sharm, India’s rising star, was fined fifteen percent of match-fee, after a showdown with Andrew Symonds.
Indian Captain, Dhoni, has reportedly asked for a sledging coach, as he believes that Indians need to learn the art from the great aussies.
“It’s an art and they are good at it, but the Indians will learn soon”, was his comment on the Ishant Sharma affair.
Meanwhile, back home, there was a controversy regarding the need for a foreign “sledging coach”. A well known TV commentator and former player reportedly slammed the BCCI for insulting the pride of nation.
“When it comes to sledging, there is no shortage of local expertise. Look at our parliament, no further. This is like a drawing dirty water from the sea, when your septic tanks is overflowing into the garden”
Experts debated on the news-channels over whether Ajay Jadeja should have been given the job, instead. Jadeja, who was involved in a match-fixing controversy, and later got cleared from the charges, was known for gamesmanship, as he liked to call it.
“I’ve nothing against sledging”, he commented on NDTV. “Look, grown-ups will use abusive language. It’s only kids who need to be told not to use it”
Sunil Gavaskar has refused to comment on the move, saying it’s beneath his dignity, while Ravi Shastri has praised the move.
“The Aussies”, he said, “will soon get the taste of their own medicine, and what’s more — the medicine will be prepared by their own star pharmacist”
The man in the spotlight, Steave Waugh, is reportedly unclear of what the role would entail.
“I’m yet to hear anybody tell me what a sledge is,” he said, when asked if he was ready to take up the job.
Kanda Batata 
From an Aussie – hehehe – I’m pleased to see there is a sense of humour in India. From the behaviour of the Indian team in Australia this season, I was becoming convinced that all Indian cricketers had a mental age of around ten! And no sense of fun. There IS a skill in sledging and there is a skill in coping with sledging. And coping with sledging does not include going whining to the headmaster! Coping comes with acting like grown sportsmen (of an age around 16 years) and planning a good comeback – or, as I used to do, plan for a good retort NEXT time 🙂
Steve Waugh should include laughing at a sledger as a part of Sledging 101. Retaliation is always a waste of time!
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“the medicine will be prepared by their own star pharmacist”
hehe Ohh this is so funny! I can’t stop laughing.
These Aussie cricketers had been rightly described as ‘hypocrites’ by Akram. They started this sledging business themselves and after every verbal dual on the field they run to the refree to complain and crib later that Indians can’t take it in their stride.
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