12 years of Monkeygate: The IND vs AUS Sydney Test that erupted right into a courtroom battle

Twelve years in the past on today in 2008, the New Year’s Test between India and Australia on the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), remembered principally for the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal, noticed one of many ugliest controversies in cricket erupt, A sequence of weird umpiring selections and a private stand-off between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds, which was a racial controversy, noticed the battle for Sydney prolong many days past the Test.
Umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson had already been within the highlight a number of instances within the match, however the officers’ hand was compelled past return when Australia captain Ricky Ponting, on the final day of the Test, complained to them that Harbhajan had racially insulted Symonds by calling him a “monkey”.

#OnThisDay in 2008, finish of the Ugliest Test between Australia & India
Kumble: “Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game, that’s all I can say.”
Monkeygate Episode.Horrible selections by Umpires.Bumped catches claimed by Clarke & Ponting.pic.twitter.com/4kTyU4mTTr
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Australia beat India by 122 runs within the Test, however the true battle was but to return. It was fought in a courtroom over the subsequent few days, with Harbhajan having been suspended for 3 Tests.
Harbhajan had “a very angry” Sachin Tendulkar in his nook, with BCCI threatening to tug out of the tour.
In ‘Playing It My Way’, Tendulkar wrote “Anil Kumble (the then captain) and I took the lead and it was unanimously decided that we would boycott the tour if Bhajji’s ban was upheld.”
“I want to state very clearly that the incident arose because Andrew Symonds had been continually trying to provoke Bhajji and it was inevitable that the two would have an altercation at some point. While walking up to Bhajji to try to calm things down, I heard him say ‘Teri maa ki’ (Your mother…) to Symonds. It is an expression we often use in north India to vent our anger and to me it was all part of the game,” the batting maestro stated.
Captain Anil Kumble made India’s stand on the match clear on the post-match press convention. “Only one team is playing in the spirit of the game,” he stated.
READ | Only one aspect was ready to provide their model: Match Referee Mike Procter
Testimonies of the incident flew in from either side. Match referee Mike Procter discovered his {photograph} splashed on the entrance pages of Indian newspapers. Michael Clarke was one of many Australians who insisted he had heard Harbhajan, whereas India’s senior gamers backed Harbhajan.
Eventually, Harbhajan’s punishment was decreased to a 50% match-fee superb. ICC eliminated umpire Bucknor from the third Test in Perth. India gained that Test in Perth however Australia drew the ultimate Test in Adelaide and gained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Justice Hansen’s listening to, with Indian and Australian gamers giving their model of occasions. (File Photo/AFP)
Excerpts from the e book as Procter elaborates his aspect:
“Symonds had beforehand accused the Indian spinner of racial abuse in Mumbai, and so they unsurprisingly didn t have a lot time for one another. Of course, each gamers have been essential to their groups, particularly on this specific match.
“I can nonetheless see Ricky Ponting bounding off the sphere, and up the steps in an actual hurry. This often meant an injured finger or, extra probably, nature s name can t look ahead to the approaching tea break. But it was infinitely extra critical than that. It was a large allegation, given all of the efforts that the ICC had undertaken to eradicate racism from the sport.
“We had a tape of the incident in query, however the sound had one way or the other disappeared.
READ | ‘There were 7 mistakes’: Irfan Pathan refuses to purchase Steve Bucknor’s clarification on 2008 Sydney Test
“The Indian supervisor, Chetan Chauhan, was then invited to ask Ponting any questions regarding the matter, which he duly did. His query was extra of an allegation, as he accused Australia of constructing up the entire racism incident, just because they needed Harbhajan off the tour, as a result of he saved getting Ponting out. The complete Australian social gathering was surprised by the allegation, however Chetan was not executed simply but. He knowledgeable Ponting that the racism cost was fully made up, as a result of as Indians, it was simply not attainable for them to be racist.

“Chetan then produced an album of photos, with princes and princesses in regal dress, but with monkey heads. He said that monkeys were an Indian deity, further reiterating their point that the entire episode had been made up, because they wouldn’t want to insult monkeys.”