'Rest of The World No Longer Obligated to Think the Way England Does': Bhogle Slams England's Media For Targeting Deepti in Run-out Incident

Veteran cricket commentator and sports journalist Harsha Bhogle slammed English media for targetting Deepti Sharma for dismissing Charlotte Dean in the third ODI against England Women and India Women at Lord’s. In the series-decider against England, Deepti came up to bowl the 44th over to number eleven Freya Davies. Charlie, at the non-striker’s end, attempted to go early and steal a few yards by wandering out of the non-striker’s end.

Deepti took advantage of it and turned around to run her out in her delivery stride, which meant a 16-run win for India and a 3-0 series sweep. The Indian all-rounder faced criticism from several former England cricketers and the English media, while the Indians came in support of her.

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MCC, who is the custodian of the game, gave the validation to Deepti and said she was well within her right to take that ‘unusual’ call on her own.

“This change will formally come into effect from 1 October 2022. This was done to clarify this matter and to place an onus on batters to ensure that they do not leave the crease at the non-striker’s end, prior to a bowler releasing the ball,” MCC stated.

Bhogle, who is very vocal about his views and opinions, didn’t hold back and slammed the English media for questioning Deepti who dismissed the English batter within the laws of the game.

“I find it very disturbing that a very large section of the media in England is asking questions of a girl who played by the laws of the game & none at all of another who was gaining an illegal advantage and was a habitual offender. That includes reasonable people & I think it is a cultural thing. The English thought it was wrong to do so & because they ruled over a large part of the cricket world, they told everyone it was wrong.

“The colonial domination was so powerful that few questioned it. As a result, the mindset still is that what England considers wrong should be considered wrong by the rest of the cricket world, much like the ‘line’ the Aussies say you must not cross having decided what the line should be which is fine in their culture but may not be for others. The rest of the world is no longer obligated to think the way England does and so we see what is so plainly wrong,” Bhogle tweeted.

“So too the notions that turning tracks are bad but seaming tracks are fine. The reason I say it is cultural is that it is what they are brought up to think. They don’t think it is wrong. The problem arises and we are guilty of it too, when people sit in judgement of each other’s approach. England wants the rest of the world not to like running out batters at the non-striker’s end and have been vitriolic and abusive towards Deepti and others who have done it.

“We come hard too asking others to wake up from centuries old colonial slumber. The easiest thing is to play by the laws of the game & stop worrying about subjective interpretation of the spirit of the game, stop forcing opinions on others. The law says the non-striker must be behind the crease till the bowler’s arm is at its highest point.

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“If you obey that, the game will move along smoothly. If you point fingers at others, like many in England have at Deepti, you remain open to questions asked of you. It is best if those in power, or who were in power. Stop believing that the world must move at their bidding. As in society, where judges implement the law of the land, so too in cricket. But I remain disturbed by the vitriol directed towards Deepti. She played by the laws of the game and criticism of what she did must stop.”

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