It’s always fun to have one’s wit around, and a little banter on and off the field never hurt anyone. In fact, it is an integral and enjoyable part of the goings-on inside any crowded stadium but, as we saw in Australia too, sometimes matters tend to go out of hand and quickly take a turn for the worse. It’s quite acceptable for any sporting fan or player to indulge in some harmless fun while playing with the mind of their opposite number, but heckling, taunting or putting out things indiscreetly is another ball game altogether. A couple of developments emanating from the touring English cricket team’s camp came sort of close to leaving an unsavoury taste in the mouth when the Test series is only one match old. While cricket commentator and former England international player Kevin Pietersen poked fun at India losing the Chepauk Test in a Hindi tweet, his compatriot, Michael Vaughan, a former England skipper, targeted Team India’s gesture of presenting a jersey signed by all team members to Australian player Nathan Lyon to mark his 100th Test match during the recent tour Down Under, and wondered if the same treatment wasn’t provided to Joe Root just because India had lost the match.

Soon after India lost the match to the visiting team, Pietersen gleefully took to Twitter and wrote in Hindi to underline that his January 19 prediction had come true: “India, yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jashn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha (India, you remember I had warned you already not to celebrate so much when you defeated Australia at their home.)” Striking an ominous note, he then noted that “the real team” would arrive in a few days “from whom you’ll be defeated at your own home”. Similarly, Vaughan ribbed the hosts when on February 9 he indiscreetly put out a question: “India gifted @NathLyon421 a signed shirt for his 100th Test at the end of the Gabba Win ... Did @root66 receive one today after the loss ?? Not sure if it happened ? Can anyone confirm ?” The cricket-crazy Indian fans paid the duo back in the same vein, telling Vaughan “They gifted him the Test match instead”, and “You don’t go on to ask gifts from others”; and reminding Pietersen not to repeat the folly that many Australian cricket pundits had made after India’s first loss: “You may have won the match but Series is not over yet” and “We always welcome our guests with grace”. Comments made in good taste are always welcome but, it must be remembered at all times that, after all, it’s not called the gentlemen’s game for nothing.

It’s always fun to have one’s wit around, and a little banter on and off the field never hurt anyone. In fact, it is an integral and enjoyable part of the goings-on inside any crowded stadium but, as we saw in Australia too, sometimes matters tend to go out of hand and quickly take a turn for the worse. It’s quite acceptable for any sporting fan or player to indulge in some harmless fun while playing with the mind of their opposite number, but heckling, taunting or putting out things indiscreetly is another ball game altogether. A couple of developments emanating from the touring English cricket team’s camp came sort of close to leaving an unsavoury taste in the mouth when the Test series is only one match old. While cricket commentator and former England international player Kevin Pietersen poked fun at India losing the Chepauk Test in a Hindi tweet, his compatriot, Michael Vaughan, a former England skipper, targeted Team India’s gesture of presenting a jersey signed by all team members to Australian player Nathan Lyon to mark his 100th Test match during the recent tour Down Under, and wondered if the same treatment wasn’t provided to Joe Root just because India had lost the match.

Soon after India lost the match to the visiting team, Pietersen gleefully took to Twitter and wrote in Hindi to underline that his January 19 prediction had come true: “India, yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jashn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha (India, you remember I had warned you already not to celebrate so much when you defeated Australia at their home.)” Striking an ominous note, he then noted that “the real team” would arrive in a few days “from whom you’ll be defeated at your own home”. Similarly, Vaughan ribbed the hosts when on February 9 he indiscreetly put out a question: “India gifted @NathLyon421 a signed shirt for his 100th Test at the end of the Gabba Win ... Did @root66 receive one today after the loss ?? Not sure if it happened ? Can anyone confirm ?” The cricket-crazy Indian fans paid the duo back in the same vein, telling Vaughan “They gifted him the Test match instead”, and “You don’t go on to ask gifts from others”; and reminding Pietersen not to repeat the folly that many Australian cricket pundits had made after India’s first loss: “You may have won the match but Series is not over yet” and “We always welcome our guests with grace”. Comments made in good taste are always welcome but, it must be remembered at all times that, after all, it’s not called the gentlemen’s game for nothing.