Re: Ponting calls for calm from Australian fans during the homes series against India
Nikhil, no doubt players have been subjected to racism/abuse by Aussie fans in the past and in my opinion Australians while whinning about Indian crowd have totally forgotten about what their fans did to South Africans/kiwis and specially Murali. Having said that I am not giving any justification for Indian crowd. Two wrongs dont make a right. Some of the Pakistans fans were involved in similar activities on a smaller scale during the recent series. Such folks should be simply banned from ever entering a stadium.
However knowing the nature of australian fans, they would be extra sweet towards Sreesanth, who acted like a total idiot during the recently concluded series.
i don't have any problem with australian fans harassing sreesanth so long as the harassment is not related to race. in fact, i think many criticisms hurled at aggressive crowds are not warranted. i think fans have an obligation to unsettle visiting teams with as much noise, chanting, and energy as possible. if cricket wants to be taken seriously as a legitimate international sport, it can't remain a tea-and-crumpets old boy's game forever.
however, i certainly don't think monkey chants fall within the acceptable range of fan behavior. all i'm saying is that ponting sounds ridiculous given australia's severe problems with racism. many australians would be quicker to call symonds a monkey than those indian fans that got arrested.