It was a chaotic situation when Shukri Conrad, the head coach of South Africa, stated that he wanted India to “grovel” in the second Test in Guwahati. One of the quotes that got most of the heat was from Sunil Gavaskar, who termed the comment as “unnecessary” and ”ill-advised.” The reaction spread quickly across fans and experts, fueling intense debate online.
Conrad’s Comment Sparks Fresh Controversy
After Day Four, when India were in a tough position, Conrad made this remark. He elevated his bowlers as the main heroes and proclaimed that the series was virtually theirs. Their victory in Pakistan, by his lights, was a vital confidence booster. Nevertheless, the term grovel has a significant cricketing past associated with it.
Tony Greig employed it in 1976 against the West Indies, and it has remained a debatable term since that time. Conrad’s comment brought back that reminiscence and diverted the focus to South Africa’s power play rather than their performance.
Gavaskar Reminds South Africa of India’s Support
Sunil Gavaskar lambasted the use of the term and praised India for their role in SA cricket. He said India was the main supporter when SA came back to world cricket after a long period of isolation. Besides that, he noted that Indian owners have the franchise in five SA20 teams, which is a great help for many local players to grow. Gavaskar thought that the comment disregarded this long bond and added unnecessary heat to an already heated series.
Author’s Opinion
Shukri Conrad probably didn’t mean to upset anyone, however, he was somewhat thoughtless in his choice of words. The past of cricket makes some words more impactful. There was no need for any dramatic phrasing to highlight South Africa’s dominant performance, and this remark only diverted the attention from the cricketing action.
