On-field chat in Cricket has become too personal: Logie

Alluding to the unsavoury incidents in the Sydney Test between India and Australia Down Under, Logie observed that cricketers should avoid making personal comments which was bad for the game.

“Cricket is all about skill shown at the ground. Even we were aggressive and players during my times also exchanged words with each other. But that was of a different kind, which had humour in it, and the players from both the sides would have a laugh on it,” Logie told PTI.

Logie, an outstanding player, said that cricketers playing out there were role models for future cricketers and he had his reservations whether either Ricky Ponting or Andrew Symonds would invite Harbhajan Singh at their residence in the wake of the recent bad blood between the two parties.

“We did have our differences but at the end of the day we went to the opposition dressing room to congratulate them on their performance. I wonder whether (Ricky) Ponting or (Andrew) Symonds would invite (Harbhajan) Singh to their house likewise,” said the player, who was a member of the world conquering West Indian teams of the 1980s and ‘90s.

Stressing the need for better behaviour in future, he said, “Youngsters are watching them and these players are their role models and are the ones who bring in the crowds.

Such comments on skin, colour and family should not be used.

It’s just a game, after all.”

Logie said, he had been impressed by the way the Indian batsmen have changed their attitude and faced the fast bowlers on their tours of England, South Africa and Australia in recent times.

“The Indian team is no longer afraid of playing against the Aussies in Australia and they have proved it with their recent performance,” he said.

“Sourav (Ganguly), (Virender) Sehwag and especially Sachin Tendulkar gave them a tough time and Laxman played a pivotal role during the series,” said, adding young Ishant Sharma reminded him of former West Indian pace great Curtly Ambrose.

“I am particularly impressed with Ishant Sharma and watching him felt like watching a young (Curtly) Ambrose.” About the current West Indies team, he said the team had been plagued with many injuries and has been inconsistent for a long time.

“At present they don’t have the momentum going for them, if they compete then that would just be enough,” he said.

He added that the difference between the current Windies side and the one during the eighties was that every one of them was leader in his own right and probably this was one qualilty lacking in the present side.

“They were physically bigger and took the mantle of leadership on their shoulders,” he said.

“But after (Brian) Lara, the team would need time to regroup. But they have played well in the recent series in South Africa with Dwyane Bravo and Marlon Samuels performing well of late,” he added.