Team India accused of adopting 'siege mentality' as Jadeja 'refuses' to answer Australian reporters' questions

Things are heating up in Australia ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between India and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The five-match series is currently tied 1-1 after the first three Tests, and the off-field news is dominating the headlines in the build-up to the much-anticipated MCG match.

After the news of Kohli engaging in a verbal battle with an Australian journalist over camera capturing footage of his family, Ravindra Jadeja is now facing the heat in Australian media for refusing to speak in English during a media interaction on Saturday.

‘Jadeja refuses to speak in English’

As per a news piece by 9News, both Australian and Indian journalists were invited to MCG for a media interaction with Indian cricket team all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. However, the 36-year-old did not take any questions from the local journalists. The new report also stated that Jadeja only replied in Hindi and did not take a single question from Australian journalists before leaving in a hurry.

In the new package made by 9News, one of the Australian journalists could be heard complaining that Jadeja did not even take one question in English. He termed the whole situation “hopeless”.

In the same video, Team India’s media manager Moulin Parikh can be heard arguing that Jadeja had to leave early as the tam bus was leaving.

It has to be noted that Jadeja has always been more comfortable speaking with the media in Hindi.

‘India adopt a siege mentality’

Nonetheless, 9News in the social media caption used to share the news wrote that: “Pressure is intensifying on India ahead of the Boxing Day test with the tourists adopting a siege mentality. Just days after Virat Kohli’s fiery run-in with Australian media, today his teammates refused to answer questions from local reporters.”

On Thursday, Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli was involved in a tense exchange with media personnel at the Melbourne airport following the conclusion of the third Test against Australia. Known for guarding his personal life, Kohli was reportedly upset when cameras captured him and his family at the airport, particularly his children. This led to a heated discussion between Kohli and a Channel 7 reporter, with Kohli expressing his frustration over what he perceived as an invasion of privacy.

The situation de-escalated after Kohli was assured that his children were not being filmed.