Chappell's Middle Finger

A huge deal has been made out of Chappell's middle finger over the last couple of days in the MSM in India. And I must say he has done a fair bit to add fuel to the fire himself.

We all know what happen right ? The middle finger shot was screened by several media channels over and over. Initially, Chappell and the Indian management had this to say on the issue and I quote from Cricinfo:

"I vehemently deny making any gesture towards anybody. I did not gesture either towards the media or to the public" Chappell told Cricinfo after the team reached Mumbai. "I have not seen the pictures clearly, but from what I have seen an image has been captured through a window. I don't keep track of every movement of mine, but I certainly know I did not make any angry gestures towards the public,"

"I'm not saying that the hand that was shown was not mine," said Chappell. "But even if it was, what is being shown is a mischievous and malicious interpretation of what happened."

Well, all was fine. No one should have bothered about what the media or the crazed fans had to say. But then today this happens and I quote from DNA:

Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell has admitted to making the obscene finger gesture to a crowd of fans here, even as the team management claimed otherwise.

"Yes, I did," Chappell was quoted as saying by an English newspaper from Kolkata on Sunday.

When asked if the gesture was aimed at the crowd, he said: "I do not think I need to specify the reason to you."

Well what are we supposed to make of it now ? Why this U-turn ? In fact if he had stuck to either line I would have been fine. I mean assuming he had made that gesture, I don't think it was like the end of the world at all. After all, the persons against whom the gesture was made were hooligans. I'm sure they were not political diplomats engaging in an academic debate with the coach. We can very well imagine what they were slinging at Chappell when the incident occurred. If someone attacks you with muck I don't think giving it back is something that is so deplorable at all, regardless of the person's stature. Maybe some people like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar would have taken it in their stride and ignored it. Greg Chappell is not like that but there is nothing wrong in giving back as it comes. After all, isn't that the philosophy that Sourav Ganguly, the one whom these crazy fans would be lining up to bow before preached ?

But this U-turn is confusing to say the least. I wish the issue is sorted out one way or the other. And the team moves on from here. I really feel for the team. Here, they are trying to prepare for a crucial match tomorrow and this really deplorable incident is marring their efforts. It is a pity that people like Jonty Rhodes are being sympathetic to our team for facing this controversy our team and trying to teach Indian fans (make it some Kolkatans) the spirit in which all this should be taken.