Kaur’s tantrums unbecoming of a star
Sportspersons giving vent to their emotions on the field is not new. Call it an adrenaline rush or a crime of passion, but sometimes these emotions get the better of the player and manifest themselves in unsporting actions. What cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur did during the third and last one-day international against Bangladesh was ridiculous and outlandish. She breached the very tenet sports stands for when she smashed the stumps after being adjudged caught at slips. India collapsed shortly after, and the match ended in a tie, with the series drawn 1–1. However, Kaur did not stop with what she did on the field. She even called the umpiring ‘pathetic’ in her post-match comments. What seemed more baffling was when she ‘reportedly’ told the opposition to also invite the umpires for a joint photo-op with the trophy. Home captain Nigar Sultana was furious and took her team away, saying that she would not want to repeat what the India skipper said.
Kaur must realise that as a team, India had not performed well. Blaming umpires will not solve flaws in selections and how they have been playing. In India’s first international assignment since the semifinal defeat in the 2023 T20 World Cup, they lost twice to Bangladesh, once in each format, and were largely sub-par with their performances. Things get complicated as they still do not have a head coach. Players are randomly picked and dropped.
This bilateral series had issues with the quality of broadcasting, pitches and umpiring, but India, on paper, is a better team. Kaur could be angry with many other things, but there is a line you do not cross. One must respect the sport and the opponents. The way Kaur behaved was unbecoming of a player of her stature. She must realise that women’s cricket is expanding pretty fast, and she is considered a role model. As a role model, she must be more responsible and know where to draw the line. The Indian cricket board (BCCI), too, must step in. They must educate cricketers and guide them to handle fame and pressure. The Indian women’s cricket team is rising on the popularity chart, and such unsporting acts will only tarnish the game’s reputation. Perhaps it’s time Kaur and her team contemplate their losses, rectify the flaws and move ahead.