Credits: X
Former Australian cricketers including Aaron Finch, Ryan Harris and Lisa Sthalekar slammed legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar’s comments on Josh Hazlewood. The former Indian cricketer had suggested that there is a rift in the Australian camp after Hazlewood’s comments in the press conference following Australia's loss. Hazlewood had said that the batters should be questioned for the loss in the opening Test and not the bowlers. The comment raised speculations about possible rift between the batters and bowlers in the Australian camp. Things got more wind when Hazlewood was dropped from the squad for the second Test in Adelaide with a side strain.
Former Indian skipper said that he loved the “mystery” behind Josh Hazlewood’s “supposed side strain.” In his column for Sportsar, he wrote, "The panic in the Australian ranks is palpable, with former players calling for heads to be chopped off and some even hinting at cracks in the Australian team after Josh Hazlewood’s media interview at the end of the third day’s play, where he suggested that it was up to the batters to now do something.”
This is garbage; happens only in India: Ryan Harris slams Sunil Gavaskar
Gavaskar’s claims didn’t sit well with former Australian cricketers including Finch. He said that Gavaskar didn’t have to say anything during the first Test, but now that India have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, he has decided to go over the top. In an ESPNCricinfo show, Finch said, "It's not jabs anymore. Sunny is throwing haymakers over the top. It's quite funny because, having spent a lot of time with him during the first test, he was not saying things like that. He was very respectful of the current Australian group. But now he has just gone bang.”
Former Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris called out Gavaskar for his comments and called the entire situation “garbage”. He told The Indian Express, “Look, there are no factions. That’s just all garbage. I’ve even heard Mr Gavaskar coming out and saying there’s some faction. It’s all rubbish. That doesn’t happen in Australia. I know it happens in India. I’ve lived there.”
He added, "There’s no politics and no, you don’t miss a game (On Hazlewood) for saying what he said. I’ve spoken to a couple of the boys here and everyone’s smart. They just know our media and how they work. The Australian media have jumped on it, because we went so bad in Perth. But you’re allowed to be outplayed."
