Sledge of behaviour

Owing to my abundant free time, I have been following the recent news of Harbhajan's acquittal from racial charges quite closely. Every time, I read an article or comments putting forward a different view, my take on the case changes. Who is right or wrong, has become more of 'Where do you belong to' case. Australia media are crying foul at the bullyragging tactics adopted by the BCCI, while Indians are gloating over the justice being meted after so-many years of subservience.All are entitled to hold their views, but this just goes to show how farcical things can develop into, if sanity is not adopted at the first place only.

Coming back to the incident, my question remains why should have this gone off-the-filed at all. Having been to a cricket stadium as a spectator, I know what kind of language is spoken around all the time. Even the most modest ones like Sachin and Rahul are not spared. I am not supporting the usage of racial words, but it would only aggrandize if you start reacting to it. What difference it would have made to Symonds, had he ignored it. He had been batting beautifully that series, and Harbhajan had been no match to his skills. Racism or for that matter, anything becomes harmful only when it starts denying you opportunities, hurting you physically or weakening you financially. Where has the old adage of 'Action Speaks Louder than Words' got lost.

On the other side too, sledging was never and never will be the equivalent of banter. Mouthing swearings is fine in groups of unreacting friends, colleagues or teams, but doing so on a field when you don't know the sensibilties of different players is an absolute no-no for me. When a spark can being a conflagration, you don't know. Moreover, the match is being watched by millions of people worldwide, and this is not what should become the centre of attraction for the viewers. However much I respect Steve Waugh, sledging remains his legacy to cricket in diluted words of 'mental disintegration'.

Things ought to move on now; legalities and technalities of it will be discussed on fora endlessly. The root cause, realting to human behaviour, too might get a mention or two. Different facets of it, like tolerance and respect, too would be brought out as by me earlier. But sadly, this is not what gets priority in the practical world. And as the time descends, things learnt, a misnomer in itself, will pass into the abyss to emerge later from other crevice in bigger form, for us to ruminate in even bigger terms.