Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth shook hands in front of hundreds of flashing cameras. They smiled, and they hugged. Only the laddus were missing, or it would have been a perfect pre-wedding exchange between two brothers-in-law to be.

When cricket embraces entertainment so wholeheartedly, can old-school Bollywood drama — family feud threatening to play spoilsport before love conquers all — be far behind? In any case, both Harbhajan and Sreesanth are known for their antics. What’s a little slap-and-bawl between two theatrically inclined buddies? But the authorities have not looked at the issue so light-heartedly. Harbhajan Singh’s whack has cost him Rs 3 crore, with more punishment likely to follow, and Sreesanth has been rapped on his knuckles for once again being the agent provocateur.

At a time when India — the board and the media — has encouraged, embraced and celebrated these players as icons of a new, young, aggressive team, here is my question: How would they have reacted if Harbhajan had slapped a foreign player? Would the moral outrage have been replaced by justifications of extreme provocation? Would the player who now stands in shame have become a symbol of national pride who gives as good as he gets? Would there have been stories of how a peace-loving Indian who respects all other cultures can only react so viciously when pushed against the wall? Would the nation, instead of looking at his crime dispassionately, have rallied around him?