Travails of an Indian journalist in Australia

One has to be a super sleuth when on trail of an Indian cricket team overseas. No other team in world cricket is kept as guarded as Indian national team. The BCCI officials excel at keeping the media at more than an arm's length. Teams like Australia and England may have their differences with the media over many issues, but they don't shy away. They still have regular interactions, and face the media even when asked uncomfortable questions. The team's media coordinator willingly lines up players for the media, almost every day. They give out a detailed schedule, keeping the media well informed and providing complete information for those who may have not been able to attend the briefings.

As for the Indian journalists, their only contact with the Indian players is at the pre and post match press activity, which is mandated by the ICC. India's media manager is at best a one-liner man. Take, for example, his email to the media on Thursday. It says: India's schedule for next three days: 22.01.15: No training 23.01.15: Optional from 2 pm 24.01.15: No training, that's it. India will, of course, practice and have the mandatory media interaction on the eve of the match on Sunday and after the game on Monday. That will be the only source of information on the team. Other than that, there are no updates on the injuries and fitness of the players, nor any schedule is made out for media to talk to the players. When request is made, the standard answer is: BCCI has barred the players from talking to the media.

On the other hand, Australian opener David Warner was grilled by the media the day after he was fined by the ICC and warned by the CA for his on-field spat with Rohit Sharma. CA also made him face the music and handle uncomfortable questions for his wrong doing. The following day, he was dropped from the squad for the Hobart match. When the media asked Dhoni for his views on the Rohit-Warner spat, he just cut them off by saying: "I do not know anything about the incident other than Warner was fined by the ICC."

I do not read newspapers, so I do not have any information on what happened on the field," was his curt reply. As a result, the Australian media was left shaking their heads in disbelief on not getting an Indian version on the incident, which has been widely reported by the media here.

Such boorish behavior stems from the fact that the BCCI does not have to make special efforts to keep the game popular among the masses in India. On the other hand, cricket in Australia, is only third or fourth on the popularity chart. On the top is rugby and the National Rugby League here is as popular as the IPL back home. Second in the list is soccer, what we call football in India.

Thereafter tennis and cricket vie for the third spot. Here, Cricket Australia officials have to make special efforts to draw fans to cricket. When India played their opening tri-series match at MCG on January 18, there were more people at the Australia Open tennis at the Hisense Centre for the qualifiers. Cricket at MCG faces challenge from tennis, rugby and soccer as they have stadiums within a radius of one km in Yarra Park sports complex.

In national newspapers like the Age and Sydney Morning Herald, cricket news appears only on the third or fourth sports page. Besides, the sportsmen are not a pampered lot like cricketers are in India. Australian public follows the game with passion, not so much run after the sporting stars. Big names could be sitting next to you in a restaurant or shopping mall without anybody giving them even a second glance.

As long as cricket in India remains the unchallenged numero uno sport, the BCCI will continue to treat the media with disdain as they realize the fans will continue to follow cricket and the cricketers even without a push from the media.