Good decision by both sides to move on from DRS controversy, says Clarke
Kolkata: Australia’s ICC World Cup winning Captain Michael Clarke today told the Monkey-Gate episode of the famous second Test in 2007-08 series faded of proportion and India and Australia’s cricket Boards handling the DRS controversy was the way forward.
“I would be very honest about where I saw the situation at SCG at that time. I was very close to Andrew Symnods. I asked him whether he was racially villified. It was not only about the racial villification of Andrew. It should have ended right there continuing with the spirit of the game.
“Look at the Steve Smith incident, it’s the right way. They have handled it really well. We know we are in for great Test series. We focus on the next match. Does not matter how hard you are on the field or who you play against, you should hold highest respect for each other,” Clarke said at the India book launch of his autobiorgraphy ‘My Story’.
Australian middle order batsman Symonds was at the middle of the controversy, but the drama started much earlier, when he was given not out thrice during his first innings score of 162.
Australia won that Test by 122 runs but the incident did not die and is now considered one of the biggest face-offs since bodyline series.
“I can guarantee you, the monkeygate chapter will not have its true picture in the book,” Ganguly said talking about Clarke’s autobiography “My Story” which he launched here on Tuesday.
“Because only a sardarji will know what Harbhajan tried to say. You can call it monkeygate, you can call it hanumangate and whatever gate you want. I was standing next to Harbhajan Singh and I know exactly what he meant,” Ganguly, who said.
“Nonetheless, that incident was a bit more than monkeygate. The next morning, everyone was angry and there were calls going on in the board. It was a wonderful series. Beating Australia in Perth…India-Australia is always enthralling,” Ganguly who scored a 67 and 51 in both innings of the Test played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, said.
Clarke also hailed the joint decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA) to resolve the Decision Review System (DRS) controversy, saying it is for the greater good of the game that the difference are put to bed. In the second Test in Bengaluru, Aussie skipper Steven Smith asked his teammates from the dressing room for using DRS after he was adjudged leg before wicket to pacer Umesh Yadav.
After a meeting between the CEOs of two boards, it was mutually decided to lay to rest the controversy. “Whatever happened in the previous Test match is gone and now what’s important is they come out and play in Ranchi. I don’t know who made the decision, I think it was BCCI in communication with Cricket Australia saying ‘you know what we are not taking this any further’,” Clarke said.
“I think it’s really important [to let the game go on] as this Test series has been fantastic to watch. I think it wouldn’t be any different in Ranchi or Dharamsala. Both teams want to be really competitive and so I think this decision is good for the game of cricket,” added Clarke, who led Australia to the 2015 World Cup.