Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya received a lot of flak for his sexist comments on the entertainment show hosted by Bollywood director Karan Johar. There have been other instances when cricketers have made statements which have been foolish, embarassing and sometimes offensive. We look at epic foot in the mouth moments involving cricketers
Updated On: 2019-01-10 06:07 PM IST
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is in the eye of the storm after his lewd remarks on Karan Johar's show Koffee with Karan. The remarks irked everyone, from his fans to cricket experts to the cricket governing body BCCI. On the show, Pandya boasted about seeing multiple women and also how open he had been about it with his parents. His remarks, also laced with racial undertones might lead to a suspension from the Indian cricket team.
Ravi Shastri
Speaking to Sunil Gavaskar in a post-match interview, after India won the first Test against Australia in a nail-biting finish, Ravi Shastri made an outrageous comment that for sometime, when Australia got close to the target India had set, his b**** were in his mouth! The Team India coach was trolled for making the comment on live television.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is known to be an aggressive and blunt speaker. In a Facebook live session he was doing on the launch of his official website, an Indian user commented that few batsmen from other countries were better than Indian batsmen, to which an angry Virat Kohli retorted to the user, saying that if the user like batsmen from other countries, then maybe he should leave India. The comment was criticised, by many online as well as the media, for being intolerant and not being able to take criticism gracefully.
Shoaib Akhtar
Former Pakistan super-fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar who spends a lot of time in India for cricket commentary and other events, courted controversy when he questioned the abilities of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Akhtar wrote, in his autobiography 'Controversially Yours', released in 2011: “I think players, like Sachin [Tendulkar] and Rahul [Dravid], weren’t exactly match-winners to start with, nor did they know the art of finishing a game.”
Ahmed Shehzad
"If you are a non-Muslim and you turn Muslim, no matter whatever you do in your life, straight to heaven" — Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad tried to influence Tillakaratne Dilshan as the teams were returning to the pavilion at the end of the third ODI in Dambulla during Pakistan’s 2014 tour of Sri Lanka.
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag and MS Dhoni were apparently known to have a very cold relationship between each other. While some reports had suggested Dhoni being the reason for Sehwag's ouster from the team, Sehwag himself had a very mediocre opinion about Dhoni's captaincy. He said, "I don't know what others feel but Dhoni's captaincy alone didn't win the World Cup for India. We had a very strong team already so we won the World Cups — T20 and ICC World Cup. If you have a good team, you win. It's simple."
Chris Gayle
West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle landed himself in controversy following an interview with journalist Mel McLaughlin on January 5, 2016. Gayle, while playing in the Big Bash League, passed inappropriate remarks in response to McLaughlin’s questions. "I wanted to come and have an interview with you as well. That's the reason why I'm here, just to see your eyes for the first time. Hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink later. Don't blush, baby," he said. Chris Gayle later apologized for the remarks and his team fined him USD 7,200 for his misconduct.
Moeen Ali
"Save Gaza and Free Palestine" — England all-rounder Moeen Ali wore these words on his wristband during a Test match against India at Southampton in 2014 to draw international attention to the conflict in the Middle East. The English Cricket Board later warned him against making political statements on the cricket field.
Shahid Afridi
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who had made controversial remarks after his team's defeat in the semifinals of the 2011 ICC World Cup, shocked the cricketing fraternity by saying that Indians had a 'very negative approach' and they were not large-hearted. "In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I don't think they have large and clean hearts that Allah has given us," he said.
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly, who at the time was part of the selection committee for the appointment of the Indian cricket team head coach, was accused by Ravi Shastri of insulting Shastri's candidature for becoming head coach of the Indian team and selecting Anil Kumble instead. Sourav Ganguly retorted saying, "If Ravi thinks because of me that he is not the coach of Team India, then he is living in a fool's world. Ravi has made a personal attack which was not expected and is very saddening."
Greg Chappell
"His idea was probably 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours'. He expected I would be so grateful to him for getting me the job that I'd become his henchman in his battle to remain captain. I, on the other hand, took a job with the primary responsibility to Indian cricket and the Indian people. There were a billion of them and only one of Sourav. I wanted to help India become the best cricket team in the world." — Greg Chappell wrote in his book 'Fierce Focus'. Greg Chappell spoke about his tumultuous relationship with Sourav Ganguly, when the former Australian legend was the head coach of the Indian team.
Ian Chappell
"It is time for Sachin Tendulkar to have a good long look into the mirror and decide what he's trying to achieve in the game, he is wasting his time and should retire now" - Ian Chappell had said about the Indian batting legend, after India's poor show in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.
