Ponting's remarks on Gavaskar and India

Australia captain Ricky Ponting hit back at comments by former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar that the world champions are an unpopular and badly-behaved team.

Gavaskar wrote in an Indian newspaper column last week that Australia had been an "awesome" team over the last decade but are "awful in the way they have sometimes behaved on the field."

Ponting responded by citing Gavaskar's own brush with major controversy in a Test match against the Australians in Melbourne in 1981 when he was given out to a contentious umpiring decision.

Gavaskar ordered his opening partner Chetan Chauhan to walk off the pitch with him in protest.

"For him to go on about behaviour, not too many captains have dragged their teams off the field," Ponting told Sydney's Daily Telegraph on Monday.

"We are not going to keep everyone happy 100 percent of the time. But for some of these guys that have done it all themselves, it's pretty high and mighty for them to say that."

Ponting said Australia's unpopularity is a natural response to their success rather than their behaviour, and suggested Gavaskar should focus on trying to improve India's record in international cricket rather than criticising Australia.

"If you are really dominating teams for a long period of time, I don't think you end up having too many supporters around the place," Ponting said.

"They might want to start to look at the way they play their own cricket rather than looking at us."

http://www.rediff.com/wc2007/2007/mar/12pont.htm

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And a few comments from rediff bloggers

"Gavaskar is the chairman of the ICC cricket committee not Indian coach, so his comments are to be taken on a global level rather than Indian specific. Secondly Ponting should speak on his gavaskar's comments. By pointing out Gavaskar's incidences does not make his bigger. Australian team is the best but Gavaskar is right they are the worst on field. Most of thier umpires have been cheats and players were biggest cheats (lilee) and betters
punter - ponting? and underarm episode by the chapell brothers. Lets not forget Sachin's Shoulder before wicket. Similarly Rantunga had walked out when Murali was wrongly called for throwing. Aussies are racist when it comes to sports especially cricket. They cannot see any team winning against them. They made racist remarks against the last SA team that visited. Ponting has no rights to point out SG. Above all Ponting has still not achieved what Gavaskar has done. Just look at the average of Gavaskar against the likes of Marshall, Roberts, Garner, Holding..and look at pontings average outside Australia. "

"What SMG has told is true and the bar brawler has reacted along predictable lines. Well, do two wrongs make a right?
As far as Lillee incident goes, SMG reckoned he had an inside edge and protested , Lillee aggravated the situation by charging down the track and pointing to a mark on SMG's pads ( that rules out an inside edge straight away, doesn't it?). This was followed by sledging which provoked the incident. BTW, Lillee had problems with Miandad. There were other captains who led their teams out against Australia .. they sledged Sir Viv as a "black ..." Waugh provoked Ambrose the list goes on .. of course, "Attitude" correct? Oh well they win ... means justify the ends ... "

"Question is not whether Gavaskars comments against Australia is right or wrong . Question is whether Pontings outbrust against senior player like Gavaskar is correct? This is true colours of Australians . It would have been much better had any former player of Australia come out in reponse of Gavaskars comments .
Let Rahul & team give the answer by beating them in the WC final & take the revenge of previous WC. "

"we ,indian , are in perpetual stage of praising ourseleves. Gavaskar was quite a bad sportsperson in his time. He should mind his own business instead of commenting on behaviour of other teams."

"ponting is right when he is arrogant. If you look the world cup winners, they have always won coz of their arrogance and vengeance. Either you can be submissive, do not sledge or you win...
Australian take pride in their cricket and Indians in their fantasies. Grow up India, You are not Australians...we would like you to be though...and yes Gavasakar might be the highest run getter, but he was never a match winner..same goes for his successor Tendulkar..."

"The fine art of sledging involves getting under the skin of your opponent . The Aussies do it quite often and quite effectively. But Sunny has done it wonderffully and forced Ponting to react in a very unsavoury manner. I would suggest somebody from the Indian Team preferably Dravid, Ganguly or Sehwag just takes this up and supports sunny\'s views. This will really turn the issue head on and whatever the aussies might say , this can reflect in their game against India. They just might not be their usual self.

And if anybody don\'t like all this sledging business just follow Zizou.
HEAD BUTT YOUR WAY, THERE IS NO RED CARD IN CRICKET, FINES COME AFTER THE GAME IS OVER."

So what are your views people😃