Tensions are rising before Boxing Day Test with Indian team management clashing with Australian reporters after they were denied the opportunity to ask Ravindra Jadeja a single question at a media conference on Saturday where the star all-rounder only answered in Hindi.
Only two days after Virat Kohli berated a female reporter at Melbourne Airport for what he believed to be a breach of privacy – despite it being a public place and no footage captured of his children – Jadeja fronted the media at the MCG on Saturday.
Some Indian journalists have claimed online that it was only a press conference for visiting media, but Australian television and newspaper reporters were also invited to attend and ask questions after the drawn third Test in Brisbane that has left the Border-Gavaskar series locked at 1-1.
Throughout the summer, India’s press conferences have started with English questions – and responses – before Hindi questions and answers at the end. Indian journalists will usually begin press conferences asking their questions in English.
After nearly a 30-minute delay, Jadeja fronted the media and began fielding questions in Hindi from select Indian reporters.
Indian team media manager Moulin Parikh clashes with Australian reporters on Saturday.Credit: Channel Nine
The press conference was abruptly ended after nine minutes when Indian media manager Moulin Parikh said the team had to get on the bus. An Australian reporter was in line for a question but was told there was no time.
It meant no questions could be asked or answered in English – a first for the tour. Jadeja has previously done press conferences in English and speaks the language fluently. Jadeja’s responses in Hindi were all to questions asked in Hindi.
Australian reporters inquired if they could ask one question in English, but the request was denied as Jadeja walked off.
At one point, India’s media manager asked a cameraman to “please put the camera down”.
India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja walks off to the disappointment of Australian reporters.Credit: Channel Nine
A large contingent of Indian reporters have made the trip to Australia.
It is highly unusual that not one local reporter was able to ask a question in English. Indian reporters have complained on this tour they do not get to ask enough questions of Australian players.
The clash comes after Kohli confronted a Channel Nine reporter at Melbourne Airport for what he believed to be an invasion of privacy. Despite the cameraman filming him – and not his children, as he claimed – Kohli spoke to the woman for several minutes and expressed his displeasure.
Indian players have been reluctant to speak to the media on this tour, but there is nothing Cricket Australia can do about it. There is no commercial benefit for India to promote the Test series. Before the opening Test, India went for days without making a player available to the media.
Captain Rohit Sharma did not appear for his usual pre-match press conference in Brisbane, India saying it was an optional session and he wasn’t at the ground. Shubman Gill stepped up in Rohit’s absence.
India were comprehensively outplayed in Adelaide and Brisbane but can still retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a win in Melbourne.
“The next two matches will be interesting,” Jadeja said at the press conference, translated to English and published on international wire services. “If we win one match we retain the series. We obviously won the last two series here. It’s a good opportunity. This will be a crucial match.”
During the Adelaide Test, Travis Head and Mohammed Siraj were involved in a heated altercation after the Australian batsman was given a send-off when dismissed for 140.
Head later claimed it wasn’t the first time he had received a send-off in the series and said he didn’t appreciate it.
