Mr Cricket (27 page)

There were few Indian journalists present as the Test had ended, but the Australian journos proved just as determined. Tellingly, there were many non-cricketing media present, such as reporters from
A Current Affair
and
Today Tonight
. They all wanted some dirt. Soon I was being prodded by a sizeable group of hostile local journalists who, it seemed, were set upon getting a sensational sound bite.

I was all in favour of the reporters asking tough questions; they had every right to enquire about my thoughts on some polarising issues. But it became frustrating when they repeatedly asked the same questions, simply switching the words around. It was like being in a witness box. They were cross-examining me, trying to find a weak point or one good quote to hang a story on. They wanted an admission that we didn't play the game fairly and that we would resort to bending the rules – or even downright cheating – to win. It seemed that they also wanted to find divisions within the team, such as players who believed Ricky should lose the captaincy.

The first question was, ‘Do you think you play the game in the right spirit?' I said, ‘Yes, we do. We play hard, fair and uncompromising cricket. That's how Australia has always, and will always, play'. The next question was, ‘Do you go outside the rules to win games?' I said, ‘No. We play hard, fair, uncompromising cricket. Always have, always will'. The next question was something like, ‘If there's a 50–50 catch, would you claim it?' It was relentless. Similarly with the questions about Ricky: ‘Do you have faith in your captain?' I said, ‘Yes. I'm one hundred per cent behind Ricky'. ‘Do you think Ricky should remain captain?' And so on. I had to stay strong and keep repeating my beliefs. I needed to be calm and collected and even add humour to lighten the situation. I wanted to show I was in control. There was little doubt my answers disappointed most of the journalists, but that's because the answers they'd wanted would've simply been untrue. Needless to say, not many of my quotes went to air.

Ricky and Andrew Symonds had to go through the same inquisition each day. But, after that testing experience, I was able to escape. I'd done my best for Ricky and the team and was able to now get back to my family and switch off from all the drama. I read the papers the following day to see how my quotes were interpreted but, after that, I didn't take in anything that was said. There was no point me being involved anymore, no point getting angry or letting it influence my mind.

The thing I found most troubling about the situation was the sustained attack on Ricky. He had done nothing wrong. His reporting of Harbhajan for racial vilification was exactly as the rules demanded. There was a suggestion that he should have sorted it out on the field. However, the ICC's protocol on any suspected racial vilification requires the captain to report the player to authorities. It was a step-by-step process that Ricky followed to the letter. Yet, he was crucified for it. I thought that was very unfair.

The fact remained, nonetheless, that big questions were being asked about our team. It was a chance for us to reflect and find what, if anything, needed fixing. About three days before the next Test, in Perth, we were joined by Australian Cricketers' Association representatives and Cricket Australia staff, including Mark Taylor, to discuss what had happened. We were separated into groups, each with one CA representative, some players and support staff. Each group was asked questions and we chatted amongst ourselves. The groups reported their thoughts to the group and we came to some overarching conclusions. We decided that we did play the game in the right spirit, but we agreed there were aspects we could tighten up, such as leaving the crease immediately when given out. We reaffirmed our commitment to show no dissent towards the umpires or other players.

Once we had some space, I was able to assess the longer term outcomes of the drama. There was one particular point that caught my attention – it was a suggestion that the cultural divide between the teams needed to be narrowed to avoid a recurrence. There was some merit to this. For instance, the ‘monkey chants' were construed as racist by some Australians but not by some Indians. On the other hand, I felt there had been efforts to bridge the gap. The reason I'd stayed in Sydney after the Test was to play a role in a Bollywood movie about cricket, called
Victory
. It seemed a bit ironic that several Australian players were involved in a very dear aspect of Indian culture, yet were accused
of ignoring cultural sensitivities. It was becoming clear to me that there were agitators who were trying capitalise on the situation and were using the media to drive a wedge between the sides. The basis of the entire drama had been blown way out of proportion.

The proof would be presented when we went to play in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition. I had no apprehension going to the IPL after our fiery summer because I wasn't personally involved in the controversies. I knew I'd be asked about them but saw it as an opportunity to mend some wounds. Even though some months had passed since the Sydney Test, many Indians still wanted to know more about what had happened. Once I started explaining my take on the situation – that it was not as problematic as had been made out – they were surprised. The story had been built up in India, unfortunately, by some influential figures. I wanted to let people know that they should not necessarily believe all that they'd been told.

Playing in the IPL gave us a prime opportunity to break down some barriers. At the Chennai Super Kings I became a teammate to some of the players I'd competed against over the summer. We could see how each other acted, how we built relationships in our team, how we prepared to play and how we went about our cricket. I found that the Indian players were very similar to us and maybe there wasn't as much of a cultural divide as I'd imagined. They talked about the game the same way we did, they interacted in a similar way, and even celebrated as we did. The tradition in the Australian team is that after a win we enjoy each other's company either in the dressing room or over a drink back at the hotel. (You don't have to drink but most guys would have at least one.) I was surprised to find that the Indians did exactly the same. After each IPL win we'd head back to the hotel and meet at the bar for a chat about the game and other things that were going on. We'd have a couple of drinks together, after which everyone could do as they pleased. Some would have a meal and stick around for a while; others would head back to their room. I wasn't sure that the Indian players would gather for a drink; I thought religion or custom might play a part. I was wrong – and the cricket world felt quite a bit smaller.

It was nice for the Indians and others to see us Australians as friends rather than enemies.

It took a little while for things to settle at Chennai. The first few days were awkward. It was different to walking into a county dressing room where there is already banter and it's just a case of slipping into the flow. This was starting from scratch. However, soon enough everyone was interacting and enjoying the experience. I got along well with most of the guys, including MS Dhoni. I was nervous meeting him because we hadn't got to know each other at all during the Australian summer, but I found him to be a very friendly bloke. He loves his motorbikes and takes his cricket in a very relaxed way. He enjoys the simple things in life, much like many of my Australian teammates. We talked about cricket a lot and became buddies right from the moment he asked me, ‘Do you like cars?' as I was waiting to bat in our first game. I also got along well with Parthiv Patel and Suresh Raina. We'd all sit at the back of the team bus with Murali and talk about whatever we could think of to make each other laugh. Another player, Subramaniam Badrinath, and I got along well too. We had a common theme – he too is just working his way into the Indian team after a long first-class career. It was a great bunch of cricketers and hopefully we demonstrated that we're as normal as they are, and not ogres like some had tried to make out.

From a cricketing perspective, the IPL was a new and intriguing challenge. My plan was to use it as preparation for the tour to the West Indies in May 2008. I'd had five weeks off between the Australian summer and IPL and hadn't picked up a bat. I was keen to get back into it and treated the IPL as a place to concentrate on my normal season preparation, getting my stance and groove right, getting back into the habit of watching the ball closely and executing normal cricket shots precisely. At the end of each net session I switched into Twenty20 mode and spent a little time practising innovative and more aggressive shots. I maintained consistency in my preparation, but I also had to consider my approach to playing a very different style of cricket. Being so structured, I wanted to make clear in my mind the formula for succeeding in the thick of this high-tempo game. I opted to give myself a little bit of time when I got to the crease, to find a comfortable rhythm. I couldn't just expect to smack the first six balls for six because the likelihood of getting out was too high. Instead, I wanted to play some good cricket shots in the first over, look for singles and turn over the strike. The plan was then to build the aggression until the 15-over mark. After that, well, then it was time to unleash.

I had always felt capable of doing well at the IPL, but my performance in the first game, against the Kings XI Punjab featuring Brett Lee, was still a pleasant surprise. Having not played an innings for five weeks, the last thing I thought I could do was come out and hit 116 not out from 54 balls! It was my first Twenty20 century and the first by an Australian in the IPL. There are just some times when everything you try comes off, and that night in Chandigarh was one such time. Sure, a few things were leaning my way: it was a great batting pitch, the outfield was lightening fast and I was able to middle a few early in the innings. My confidence just kept growing as the innings progressed. Those days don't come around very often, but when they do you have to make sure you enjoy them. I enjoyed that day, for sure!

I managed to win the Maximum Sixes Award. Behind the podium is Preity Zinta, a Bollywood star and part-owner of the Kings XI Punjab (the team we beat that night), and Lalit Modi, the chairman of the IPL.

Sadly, I had to leave the IPL after four games, each of which we won, to return to prepare for the West Indies tour, which was to begin in May. It was a great time in India. It's an exciting country filled with passionate and interesting people, and I look forward to my next visit.

Personally, I believe the IPL is here to stay. As a purist of the game, I'm now taking an interest in how Twenty20 will affect cricket overall. I believe there might be a new generation of Twenty20 specialists. There is little doubt that power hitters will find a home in Twenty20. However, I also feel that the world's best players will be able to adapt to – and star in – all forms of the game. I've noticed that the players who do well in Twenty20 are generally the same ones who get the job done at Test and 50-over level. Quality always shines through. Twenty20 is a high-pressure game, much like the other forms, and only the best players are able to handle the mental-skills side of the game. Combine that with superior technical skills and you have the formula for success in all three brands of cricket.

There is a possibility that kids will be drawn to Twenty20 because of the financial incentive, but I don't think that is a bad thing. If it attracts people to the game who would otherwise play other sports, it can only be good. Similarly with viewership – Twenty20 is a chance to expose so many new people to the game, particularly younger people and women. We lose many young athletes in Australia to other sports because they snap them up at a young age. If we can introduce children to the excitement of Twenty20, we should be able to keep them in the game. Once they love Twenty20, they will hopefully begin to love 50-over cricket and – later – Test cricket.