Substance over brutality
Young Indian pacer Varun Aaron had a lesson in cricket from Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim yesterday. Mushfiqur showed the youngster how battles in cricket are won, not through malice or dimwittedness, rather through courage and responsibility.
The 24-year old pacer, who is considered one of the fastest bowlers in Indian cricket right now, was taken to task by the Bangladesh batsmen from the beginning of the innings. Having gone for 56 runs in his first seven overs, and the first five balls of the eighth having gone for 17, the frustrated pacer took an ugly route to revenge. He unleashed the meanest weapon that a bowler can use -- a beamer aimed at the batsman's rib cage.
The above-waist-high full-toss, released at a speed of 140k-plus, gave Mushfiqur little time to duck and hit him full on in the chest. The Bangladesh skipper straight away dropped his bat and fell down on the ground in agony. The young bowler, who was barred from bowling any further in the innings by the umpire, apologised to Mushfiqur. However, actions such as these are hardly excusable, as was emphasised by the legendary Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar. “That one seemed intentional. This should not have been the way to stop the batsman and the bowler should be dealt a stricter punishment,” Gavaskar said while commentating on the match on TV.
Mushfiqur got back to his feet and went on to stroke a magnificent hundred, showing the young Indian bowler how things should be done.
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