Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has defended Indian fans’ behavior using the Ashes context. Indian fans are always been accused of being unappreciative of away teams whenever India plays at home. However, Gavaskar has always maintained every fan does the same. In a column written by the 1983 World Cup winner, he used the ongoing Ashes 2023 reference.
The right-hander opined that the home crowd will support their team and not the away team. The 74-year-old added that trying to suggest only Indian fans do it is ridiculous.
“It’s only natural that the crowds will support their own team and won’t cheer the opponents, but to suggest that it happens only in India is ridiculous. This is not an Indian phenomena, but happens in every country where home crowds keep silent when a boundary is hit against their bowlers or their batters get out,” Gavaskar wrote.
“Nowhere has it been more apparent than at the current Ashes series. What bugs is the condescending way, overseas commentators, when they come to India, keep saying how quiet the Indian crowd at the ground is when an Indian batter gets out or when an Indian bowler is hit for a boundary,” Gavaskar further opined.
In the ongoing Ashes 2023, England fans have been appreciative of Aussie players’ landmarks. However, for most times, they have supported the home team. Not to forget, there have been instances of crowds trying to get under the Kangaroos’ skin. During the first Test, the England fans came up with a song named ‘Smith, we saw you crying on the telly’.
Apart from this, Jonny Bairstow was stumped in the second game, and the home crowd turned hostile. Not to forget, some of the MCC members have been suspended for heckling the Aussie players
