'Leave it to the players'
The BCCI has asked for harsher measures against on-field abuse. We asked four insiders what they think needs to be done
23-Mar-2008
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Kumar Sangakkara
Sri Lanka batsman
The responsibility is on the players to draw the line. Players should take a lot more responsibility for their actions - and that's not such a hard thing to do. Boards and administrators should look at the players for the first step. No matter what rules you lay down, finally the burden is on the player to make sure he doesn't step over the line.
Sri Lanka batsman
The responsibility is on the players to draw the line. Players should take a lot more responsibility for their actions - and that's not such a hard thing to do. Boards and administrators should look at the players for the first step. No matter what rules you lay down, finally the burden is on the player to make sure he doesn't step over the line.
I don't think zero-tolerance will ever work. It will probably make matters worse because it becomes a matter of interpretation. That's why match referees, umpires, and players,
everything has been thrown upside down in the past few months, with no solid
decisions being taken.
Justin Langer
Former Australia opener
The whole concept is part of the theatre of game. It's not such a big issue on the field, but it seems to be a great amusement for the media.
Former Australia opener
The whole concept is part of the theatre of game. It's not such a big issue on the field, but it seems to be a great amusement for the media.
The way I think about sledging is to see it in terms of a human reacting under pressure. The cricketer is just like a parent, a school teacher, or a CEO of an organisation - sometimes you get uptight and angry. That doesn't mean you are bad .
Honestly, a lot more is made of it than is necessary. It becomes an issue only when it gets personal and players know that. The line gets crossed very, very, very rarely.
Kiran More
Former India wicketkeeper and chief selector
You can't stop sledging in any sport. Sledging makes matches interesting, it has to be there - the aggression, the body language, the heat-of-the-moment stuff. I just think India and Australia over-reacted recently. It's a part of the game. You are not playing at school level that you go and complain to the teacher.
Former India wicketkeeper and chief selector
You can't stop sledging in any sport. Sledging makes matches interesting, it has to be there - the aggression, the body language, the heat-of-the-moment stuff. I just think India and Australia over-reacted recently. It's a part of the game. You are not playing at school level that you go and complain to the teacher.
Sledging has to be there, but within limits. Let whatever happens on the field stay on the field and with the match referee.
David Shepherd
Former elite panel umpire
It is the players, it is their game. Very often it is very difficult for an umpire to hear what is being said and he doesn't have any evidence. And many times sledging is done in another language, so the neutral umpire - who is standing more than 20 yards away anyway - doesn't know what's going on.
Former elite panel umpire
It is the players, it is their game. Very often it is very difficult for an umpire to hear what is being said and he doesn't have any evidence. And many times sledging is done in another language, so the neutral umpire - who is standing more than 20 yards away anyway - doesn't know what's going on.
The answer really lies with the players. The players must realise that they have such an important job and great responsibility towards the game and must realise people are watching them and what kind of example they are setting. If they don't behave, then the authorities must act strictly.
As told to Nagraj Gollapudi and Sidharth Monga