- A former England captain has told Australian journalists to use artificial intelligence
- Tensions boiled over after a press conference earlier this week.
- It came after Ravindra Jadeja refused to answer questions in English.
Tensions have risen ahead of the Boxing Day test following a press conference that dominated the headlines over the past week.
In what has been dubbed the “press mess”, Australian media journalists appeared to clash with the Indian cricket team, after they were denied the opportunity to ask Ravindra Jadeja a question during a press conference on Saturday.
The all-rounder only answered questions in Hindi, angering some Australian journalists, after Indian media manager Moulin Parikh abruptly canceled the meeting. He had claimed that the Indian star had to get on the bus, even after Australian journalists asked him if they could ask a question in English.
In the broadcast of the moment on Channel 9, a journalist was heard describing the press conference as “disorganized and desperate.”
Jadeja had earlier held press conferences in English.
The incident has been called “pathetic” and “disrespectful” by some social media users.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja only spoke to the media in Hindi on Saturday, causing much drama ahead of the Boxing Day Test.
The journalists had asked to be asked a question in English before Jadeja was taken away.
In the Channel 9 broadcast of the moment, a journalist was heard describing the press conference as “disorganized and desperate.”
“PETULANT AND AGGRESSIVE… Aren’t India wonderful ambassadors for their country and for Test cricket?” Daily Telegraph reporter Dean Ritchie said in X.
‘Ravi Jadeja faced the media today but refused to answer questions in English. Indian media later said the conference was for “traveling Indian media only”, even though Australian media were invited.
An X user responded: ‘Shameful behaviour. Invite the media. Show up 30 minutes late and then ignore more than 50% of the professionals who are there to do their job.’
The incident came just days after Virat Kohli clashed with Channel 9 journalists after he was filmed arriving at a Melbourne airport ahead of the Test. Kohli became outraged after believing that camera crews had filmed his family and children who arrived with him at the airport. Camera crews have denied claims they filmed his family.
Indian journalist Sahil Malhotra of the Times of India responded to Australian journalists in an article claiming that they had gone to the press uninvited.
In his article, he stated that “the Australian media fell to a new level today at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by accusing Ravindra Jadeja of not answering questions in English.”
But for some, including former England captain Michael Vaughan, the added tension around the series only makes it more entertaining.
“This adds a tremendous amount of drama to the series. India is a powerhouse,” Vaughan said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, talking about the press conference drama.
‘It’s clear they think cameras at the airport and filming families is going too far. And this is his way of reacting. “It just adds more drama for me.”
Cricket great Michael Vaughan (right) believes the escalation of tensions between the two sides has been a good thing for the series.
The incident was called “petulant” and “shameful” by some on social media.
He added: ‘There are artificial intelligence systems that can be used to translate from Hindi to Australian English. So if they are not willing to speak in English, just enter it into the system and it will appear in English.
‘You just quote Jadeja on what’s coming in AI.
‘I like a little spice in the series. I loved Mohammed Siraj and Travis Head. “I guess Ravi Ashwin retired, I didn’t like him retiring because I love to see him continue a little bit longer, I think he still has something to give.”
‘I like drama, I like what it brings. As if the MCG Boxing Day Test needs any more drama when there isn’t a free seat in the house and you have two batting line-ups that are very vulnerable.
‘And you’ve got bowling attacks, an Australian bowling attack and you’ve got an Indian bowler who is potentially the best we’ve ever seen.
‘Come on.’