Darrell Hair to ICC: Why is Dhoni Not Being Punished for Publicly Criticizing Umpires?

That is the question Daryl Harper, his former colleague, Darrell Hair and sections of the Australia media are asking.

Ishant Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The ICC may have tendered a soft note on Harper but it has also given some people the precise weapon to use against India. Since the Indian cricket team have become the no.1 Test rank, they have been dissected for the one quality that would bring down the reputation of the new champions, whom the world, it has to be said, is watching with rather uncomfortable eyes. If it is the BCCI’s power and clout that influenced the Indian resistance to the UDRS, the Indian cricketers appeared to have given one part of the angry cricket world to vent.

The Australian umpire, Daryl Harper, did not get the farewell he expected and the ICC seemed only to be apologetic about the state of affairs even using the words ‘ unfair criticism’ and using the statistical evidence to prove that Harper was not deserving of the kind of frustration being leveled by the Indian cricketers after the first Test against the West Indies.

That appears to have given the Australian media enough ammunition to use their guns on the Indian cricketers who are now being accused of getting away without the ICC reprimanding them for speaking out against the umpire in question. Harper’s decision not to stand in his farewell Test has also not gone down well as treatment for the umpire on the ICC elite panel.

While the Australian media is questioning the authority of the ICC because of the Indian cricketers not being hauled up for openly castigating the umpiring, Harper has been joined by his former colleague, the controversial Darrell Hair who is not holding back when he thinks that the Indian cricketers are getting to ‘pick and choose’ umpires and that instead they should be reprimanded and put in place for speaking out of line. Dhoni could counter react given that he has received two wrong decisions in three innings thus far.

While it would appear that the Australian section is visibly angry, the Indian cricketers may have indeed violated the gentleman’s code in accepting the umpire’s decision with equanimity. However, instead of creating a scene on the cricket pitch, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s off the cuff remark about the team being in the hotel room sooner had it not been the standard of umpiring in the match is being interpreted as a vengeful attempt to discredit Harper, which certainly would not be the malicious intent on the part of the Indian cricketers except to perhaps give vent to their frustration over the number of the decisions that put incredibly more pressure on them playing as they did at half strength.

Blaming the ICC for not taking steps to put the Indian cricketers in their place and alleging that Harper has been put under unnecessary stress, the Australian media are furious against the lack of action on the Indian contingent in the West Indies. It has provided the perfect opportunity for a storm that yet again involves cricket, India and Australia, only this time there are not Australian cricketers involved, not unless they make it their businessman.