What is your view of the ongoing fiasco in Australia?
If you are referring to Steve Bucknor’s removal from the series, I personally believe the ICC did the right thing. Perhaps the timing was wrong, but Bucknor definitely needed to go. It has been long since he should’ve actually taken an overview of whether he could continue — given his age. Maybe the timing will not go well with those who feel that the ICC gave in to the demands of the BCCI. However, I believe it is a decision taken in the best interest of the series. As for the rest of the episodes, a few things have certainly gone over the top.

Like? Has the racism issue gone a bit too far?
Cricket, at times, does arouse passion to the extent that players — wilfully or otherwise — end up exchanging a bit of chatter in the heat of the moment. It happened during my time, it happens now and it will happen in the future. If there is evidence to the fact that Harbhajan did say something or even Brad Hogg, it needs to be taken seriously. Especially because the ICC has time and again talked about its zero tolerance with regard to racism at all levels. Who said what to who is something that the players will know and at best the field umpires. Therefore, it is certainly something that should’ve been sorted out on the field.

Did such things happen during your time too?
Let me say this that I have been privileged enough to officiate when some of the best in the game were out there, playing. They played their cricket real hard and stood for their team, their mates and everything that they were so proud of. So it’s easy to believe that there wouldn’t be an inch given. Issues were there but more often than not, they were handled amicably enough.

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