When India are not facing a lethal Australian bowling attack and an in-form Travis Head, they are intimidated by an Australian media. On December 21, Ravindra Jadeja talked to the reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in a press meet organised for travelling Indian media. However, he had to leave after just a few questions as the team bus was already waiting for him after the practice session. As Jadeja left the stadium without taking any questions in English, Australian media argued with India's media manager. A day after the incident, former India fast-bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan has come in Jadeja's support.
“What’s wrong if the player wants to give interview in hindi?” Irfan wrote on his X account on December 22.
Australian media's antics
This is one of the few controversies that have happened in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The first one was when Mohammed Siraj gave Travis Head a send-off in the pink-ball Test. Siraj was bashed by the Australian media. One of the Indian reporters expressed that said that the Australian media's outrage is unwarranted. He said that many Indian journalists did not get to ask their questions as well.
"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.
After the rain-marred Gabba Test ended in a draw, another controversy erupted when Virat Kohli was exiting the Melbourne Airport. Kohli asked the media to give his family some privacy and not click photos or record their videos. However, the Australian media did not oblige and created a controversy out of it as well.
The series is currently level at 1-1. The fourth Test will begin on December 26.
