A simple press meet turned controversial as Australian media looked for a quote in English from Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in a press meet organlised for travelling Indian media. Jadeja was getting late after talking to the Indian media as the team bus was ready to leave Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and head for the hotel after practice. The Australian reporters were not happy as the media manager told them that he won't be giving a quote in English.
Here's how the conversation between Australia and Team India manager went -
Australian media: One question in English?
Media manager: Sorry, we don't have time now. You can see the team bus is waiting.
Aussie media: Can't we take one question in English?
Media Manager: This was organised mainly for the travelling Indian media.
Aussie media: The organisation is hopeless.
The Indian reporter who was one of the few present at the press meet, said that it wasn't just Australian media but a few Indian reporters too who could not ask questions due to time constraint. However, they did not argue with the media manager as the Australian reporters did.
"I was present there, and many Indian touring journalists didn't get the opportunity to ask questions due to time constraints. However, after the press conference ended, a few Australian journalists got annoyed and argued with the Indian team's media manager. They misbehaved as well, which was uncalled for. I cover press conferences regularly, and even during Australian press conferences, many Indian journalists don't get the chance to ask questions due to time shortages, but we have never argued or misbehaved," one of the Indian reporters told India Today.
The Australian media is notorious for being the 12th man of their cricket team. Often, they have changed the narrative to suit their team, whether it is the 'monkeygate', the wrong decisions by the umpires. The most recent one being when Mohammed Siraj was criticised for giving Travis Head a send-off. It was followed by Virat Kohli's altercation with an Australian reporter as the Indian batter did not want the media clicking and recording his children at the airport.
