Indian cricket's middle finger culture isn't offensive – it's just immature

Ishant Shamra and Virat Kohli would perhaps like to argue that the middle finger isn’t truly offensive. Everyone has, at some point or the other, used the gesture – to stick it to the establishment, to irritating pests or even to friends. It’s so common that it has ceased to be offensive anymore. And we’d be inclined to agree. The middle finger isn’t offensive – it’s just immature. It shows that Ishant and Kohli haven’t grown up – despite apparently growing up in Delhi where the middle finger would probably pale in comparison to the other obscenities that are regularly uttered. It shows that rather than trying to debate their way, they’d much rather show the finger and be done with it. It shows that they’d rather do it in plain sight, in front of cameras because they feel that they are untouchable. Virat did it on the ground, in front on television cameras and a million eyes and Ishant couldn’t take some tongue-in-cheek sledging as the team decided to drown its sorrows in rounds after rounds of go-karting. [caption id=“attachment_177333” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“It shows that Ishant and Kohli haven’t grown up – despite apparently growing up in Delhi where the middle finger would probably pale in comparison to the other obscenities that are regularly uttered. Getty Images”]  [/caption] Hark your mind back to 2005 and there was a similar controversy involving the then Indian coach Greg Chappell. Television footage showing the Australian gesturing with his middle finger to hostile cricket fans triggered a furore in India. “Chappell fingers a row,” Hindustan Times ran a front-page headline. The Times of India had said Chappell’s “finger salute” to the crowd ensured that Indian cricket’s penchant for controversies would not die out. The newspaper had also commented: “Indian fans might be a tad too emotional for Chappell’s tastes. But they don’t deserve such disrespect. By his extravagantly tasteless gesture, the legendary Australian cricketer has virtually guaranteed that the debate would now be on him rather than the overtly sentimental crowd.” What was extravagantly tasteless then remains the same now. Kohli’s argument was that they abused his family. Ishant might toe a similar line but what they are forgetting here is that there are some battles which are best not fought. Not only have they not learned how to play cricket from the likes of Sachin Tendulkar but they have also not learned how to behave in public. [caption id=“attachment_177340” align=“alignright” width=“200” caption=“Ishant Shamra and Virat Kohli would perhaps like to argue that the middle finger isn’t truly offensive. Getty Images”]  [/caption] There are certain trappings of fame and prime and among them for an Indian cricketer is the fact that they are subject to public scrutiny at all times. That can mean adulation and brickbats in equal measure. Surely, Ishant and Kohli have now been around long enough to realise that it isn’t all smooth sailing at the top. When the chips are down, things can get truly vitriolic. But they should have realised that they are playing for India and not some ‘Gully’ team. Every action of theirs in India colours, while on tour as part of the Indian team – directly reflects on the country because there are enough immature people around to escalate things to a higher level. The best way to deal with something like this would have been to go to the cops and just point out the guy/gal initiating the problem. That would have ended the episode in one shot. Instead, as we say in Mumbai, Kohli and Ishant wanted to be ‘heroes.’ Yes, punish the guilty fans. But there is no need to do it yourself. Let the authorities take care of that. When the going gets tough, they’d lash out first and think of the consequences later. Perhaps this is why India aren’t doing well in Australia – because we’ve sent immature boys, a far cry from a team that might have lost but housed veterans who could block everything else out and concentrate only on their goal. It’s been said that actions are the real measure of intelligence. And by doing what they’ve done, Ishant and Kohli have shown that they are certainly lacking in that department.