Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Ban on Harbhajan

The ban on cricketer Harbhajan Singh for the remaining IPL matches for slapping Sreesanth after the match at Mohali is indeed inadequate (editorial “Harbhajan’s recidivism,” April 29). If such acts of gross indiscipline are not viewed seriously enough and appropriate action is not taken, we may have to witness serious incidents involving international players too. Harbhajan should be banned from playing cricket once and for all.

A.B. Eddy,

Chennai

It is true that the ban on Harbhajan to play in the rest of the IPL matches is far too lenient. His behaviour in Mohali was most unacceptable. As one who has habitually indulged in indiscipline, he deserves a more severe punishment.

Md. Sowed,

Hyderabad

I wonder why Harbhajan was allowed to misbehave for a decade before being pulled up. He was pampered until his tantrums assumed a violent hue. In Australia, he might not have made a racist remark against Andrew Symonds but he did use a very abusive word. Yet the media and the people tried to downplay it.

T. Santhanam,

Chennai

Indian cricket fans feel let down because they supported Harbhajan in his confrontation with the Aussies. The ban imposed on him should calm him down and serve as a lesson. One hopes Sreesanth too will learn a lesson or two on how to behave on the field.

Aniket Singh,

Mohali

If Harbhajan’s good bowling performance has won him much critical acclaim, his gross misbehaviour has made him an object of ridicule. The temperamental cricketer, who went unpunished for his outbursts in the initial stages, was emboldened to slap a colleague in full public gaze. The IPL ban is inadequate punishment for his misconduct. Sreesanth is also partly guilty. He too needs to be dealt with strictly.

K.D. Viswanaathan,

Coimbatore

The Mohali incident should be viewed very seriously. Already many feel Harbhajan should not be punished further. The BCCI should not bail him out because it will embolden others in the team to behave badly too. Stringent punishment for Harbhajan is the need of the hour. He should be made to realise the gravity of his mistake. The BCCI should not be influenced by handshakes and Sreesanth-is-like-my-brother statements.

D. Haemanthkumar Robert,

Coimbatore

The players might have kissed and made up (much to the amusement of the media and the masses), but bad behaviour should not be allowed to go unpunished. While we wait for the BCCI’s decision, it appears that the charge that Harbhajan abused Symonds racially might not have been unfounded. Harbhajan has ended up embarrassing the BCCI, which made every conceivable effort to stand up for him then, and the television news channels which projected him as a hero.

Vani Venkat,

Lucknow

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