FULLY SHIK

George Binoy calls Shikhar Dhawan's taunting of Shane Watson "unsavoury" and an "ugly moment devoid of grace and an example of the sort of behaviour that needs to be stamped out of the game." Maybe. Maybe not. Amarfio's Law states that "the only thing worse than sledging is not sledging."

Comments

[Carrot]

He's right, of course. It's hardly anything new though - how long has the phrase "there's no such thing as bad publicity" been around?

That's not to say that Dhawan didn't deserve an upper-cut, though. Wanker. That sort of shit just ain't on. I have thought in recent times that the on-field behaviour from India has been as bad as any other side's, and yet it seems that it's only us that has the reputation, and the brow-beating journalists to make an issue of it. Probably a little less since Spanky's demise, mind you.

Glad the ping-pong has finished - now we can get on with some proper cricket. Again! It seems like only a couple of months ago that ...... oh.

[Tony Tea]

I honestly never know how to feel about incidents like Dhawan's. On one level it was funny, but where do you draw the line? Clearly Dharwan deserved a smack in the mouth, but you cannot allow it obviously. And would Dharwan do it in a contact sport? If not you can conclude he is a coward, abusing from the safety of the field. But on the other hand, Watson had probably sledged the Injuns from the safety of his own fielding position. Best if every dickhead - and there appear to be heaps in cricket - pull their heads in.

[Carrot]

Taking the piss out of someone's injury is just not on in any context, and you're right that he deserved a smack in the mouth. I can't remember who it was - maybe Farokh Engineer? - who said on cricinfo once that the problem with the Injuns' sledging is that it's not really part of their cricketing culture and so they don't really know how to do it. Consequently they either come across as really inane, or strike really punchably inappropriate low blows (as it were). As a player, I actually appreciate a bit of sledging in either direction, it makes you feel like a game's on as opposed to a run around on Saturday afternoon, but there's sledging, and just being obnoxious, dislikeable arseholes. The Injuns take the latter every time. It's interesting to note that the higher the standard of cricket, the level of chat doesn't actually improve - you'd think if you played the game for a living that you'd have a better idea of what to say and when. Cleary not!

[Vindicate]

It strikes me as no coincidence that, regardless of their nationality, the quantity of arrogance and subsequent butthurt of each player has risen lock-step with their pay packets.

[Big Ramifications]

Sticks and stones, fellas. He deserved a Rollerboy slap to the grille?? Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ!

We call him Papercut for a reason [the royal, AGB "we"]. Add to his FRUSTRATING injury record, I've recently called him for FAKING an injury, trudging off to the dressing rooms to have a sook - MID FARKING OVER. gillysgone pegged him here on AGB for the same "faked" injury the thread before my comment, AND threw in a theory. http://aftergrogblog.blogs.com/cricket/2013/08/fourth-test-riverside/comments/page/2/#comments

Indians have got no freaken idea how to "take the p!ss" and ya just want to punch 'em in their flapping lips. Amen, brother carrot.

Bearing that in mind, I'm prepared to go either way on this one, but maybe my boy Shikhar Dhawan nailed it? Maybe this was a lonnng time coming for Watson, well overdue? The sledge we had to have.

[Professor Rosseforp]

I actually thought it was funny, and Shane Watson seemed to have a bit of a grin about it, too. It's only entertainment, not actually a war crimes tribunal.