Over the past cricketing week, there have been two interesting stories that have come. In general, the New Zealand vs. England Test series came to a conclusion; with England winning it 2-1. Tim Southee (New Zealand) retired on a good note - New Zealand emphatically won the 3rd Test by 423 runs. There's a concern for Ben Stokes, who seems to have re-injured his hamstring that kept him on the sidelines for a few months earlier this year.
It was a wonderful tour for the England Women of South Africa. They won all three format series matches. They won the ODI & T20 series 2-1 each and swept the floor of the only Test as they pummelled South Africa by 286 runs.
The 3rd Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test looks set to be drawn due to weather playing a big role in the match. Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for the rest of the series. Finally, South Africa won the T20 series 2-0 after the 3rd T20 was abandoned due to rain. The ODI series starts today (17 December).
However, what's made the headlines is a comment made by Isa Guha and the sudden resignation of Jason Gellespie as the Pakistan Test coach.
The comment took place during the 3rd Test in Australia. Isa Guha apologised for calling Indian bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, the "most valuable primate" during the third Test against Australia.
She made the remark while commentating for Fox Sports in Brisbane on Sunday after Bumrah got India off to a stunning start with two quick wickets. Her comment sparked a social media backlash which noted the word's history as a racial slur.
On Monday, Guha apologised on air: "Yesterday in commentary I used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways... I'd like to apologise for any offence caused."
She had been speaking live on air with colleagues Brett Lee and Allan Border when the controversy happened. "Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that's the tone, and that's what you want from the ex-skipper," Lee said. Guha responded: "Well, he's the MVP, isn't he? [The] most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah. He is the one that's going to do all the talking for India, and why so much focus was on him in the build-up to this Test match, and whether he would be fit."
In her apology on Monday, she said, "I set myself really high standards when it comes to empathy and respect for others and if you listen to the full transcript, I only meant the highest praise for one of India's greatest players and someone that I admire greatly as well," she said.
She said she had been, "trying to frame the enormity of his achievements and I have chosen the wrong word and for that I am deeply sorry. As someone who is also of South Asian heritage, I hope people would recognise there was no other intention or malice there," she said.
Former India player and coach, Ravi Shastri, a fellow Fox Sports commentator, commended her for the apology and urged India to, "move on." "People are entitled to make mistakes. We are all human. To own up and say, 'I'm sorry' ā¦ it takes courage. She's done it. "As far as the Indian team, there is a Test on and they want to focus on the game," he said.
Shastri was referring to the verbal spat between Australian batter, Travis Head and Indian bowler, Mohammed Siraj, during the 2nd Test in Adelaide last week, which left both players with demerit points and the latter a fine.
The term 'primate' holds a dual significance; scientifically, it denotes an ape without a tail, but its social implications are far more troubling. Many interpret it as a derogatory term and use it to belittle others, often in a racially charged context. It's a bitter echo of the past, bringing to mind how Symonds had accused Harbhajan of similar conduct all those years back. How this latest controversy unfolds remains to be seen but it has certainly stirred the pot as the series progresses.
Besides the choice of words, the larger reason behind the comment sparking anger among fans on social media, who called out Guha, is the infamous 2008 incident in Sydney. Harbhajan Singh, a veteran Indian off-spinner, was accused by the Australian team of racially abusing late Aussie allrounder, Andrew Symonds, by calling him a "monkey" during the 2008 Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Harbhajan was served a three-match suspension amid speculations that India's ongoing tour could be cancelled. However, following an appeal to the ICC, the ban was lifted. The pair later reconciled when they shared the dressing room for the Mumbai Indians during IPL 2011 but Symonds often admitted that the comment had hurt him deeply.
Despite the apology, some fans have taken to X to air their views and they aren't supportive. One wrote, "Absolutely shocking, Isa Guha calls Jasprit Bumrah " primate " on Air. Can you believe it's 2024 and we are still plagued with that third world / first world mentality." Another wrote, "Calling Jasprit Bumrah a āprimateā is unacceptable, even in jest. Athletes deserve respect, not careless remarks. @isaguha , an apology is in order to uphold the spirit of cricket and fair commentary. Letās do better. #RespectBumrah #CricketEthics #ApologizeNow #INDvsAUS #AUSvIND #GabbaTest."
A third one wrote, "Calling Jasprit Bumrah 'Most Valuable Primate' might have been unintentional, but words matter." Another one wrote, "I just heard the insane comment Isa Guha made. I donāt know what the fuck she was thinking. I think Australians must be grateful sheās not an Australian right now lol. Given the historical weight of such terms, it's important to choose phrases that celebrate without risking offense. Letās keep the focus on his incredible talent."
Itās an unfortunate incident for the world of cricket, where female commentators are a minority. A 2023 study found that female sports journalists make up less than 20 per cent of the industry.
I get that the comment wasn't said in an insulting manner but I find it hard to get past the comment that was made. I am fully with the various X writers. Words can hurt. This hurt can last for a long time and possibly affect the player's performance level. Just saying the comment leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I feel a bit sick when I say it.
Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie has resigned from his position. He said on Monday that he stepped down after being, "completely and utterly blindsided" by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Gillespie, whose contract was set to expire in 2026, resigned last week and he expressed his frustration over the lack of communication, which led him to feel that the PCB no longer wanted him in the role.
He told ABC Sport, "There were certainly challenges. I went into the job eyes wide open, I want to make that really clear. I knew that, you know, Pakistan had cycled through a number of coaches in a pretty short space of time. The straw that broke the camel's back, I suppose, was, as a head coach, you like to have clear communication with your employer. I was completely and utterly blindsided by a decision to not have a high-performance coach."
Part of this frustrations comes from the news that PCB first did not renew the contract of Tim Nielsen, who was brought in on the recommendation of Gillespie, as the high performance coach of the team. This had prompted Gillespie to have doubts about his own future.
"Tim Nielsen was told that his services were no longer required and I had absolutely zero communication from anyone about that. And I just thought after a number of other things that had gone on in the previous few months, that was probably the moment where I thought, 'Well, I'm not really sure if they actually want me to do this job or not.'"
Adding to Gillespie's frustration was the fact that the feedback given to him regarding Nielsen and the team's performance was positive.
"I developed a really close relationship with the Test captain, Shan Masood, and felt we were certainly going in the right direction and things were going really well," he said. "All the feedback that I'd got or the feedback the PCB got was just how effective, you know, Tim had been in his role as well and the players were getting a lot out of him."
He felt his role as head coach was diminished and even suggested that he often didn't know the team line-up until the day before a match. This lack of clarity and communication only deepened his frustration with the PCB's handling of his position.
"I felt I was basically hitting catches and that was about it on the morning of a game," he said. "You want to be able to have clear communication with all stakeholders, with selectors, for instance, knowing what the team is as head coach well before the game, or before at least the day before the game."
I would also feel angry if this happened to me. Communication is key in all facets of life. Even if I'm no longer wanted/needed, I would like to hear it from the horse's mouth and not through a grapevine. It's important to be upfront with the feelings that you have in regard to situations that you might be in.