Hair looms over series

ADELAIDE, DEC 12: The Australians find this Indian team aggressive in its attitude and out to change its past image of being docile and so...

ADELAIDE, DEC 12: The Australians find this Indian team aggressive in its attitude and out to change its past image of being docile and soft. The Indians have been always suspicious of the Australian umpires and dislike the subtle ways in which their players sledge and then pretend to be innocent.

If seen in isolation, then the controversial decision which cost Sachin Tendulkar his wicket on the third day of the first Test match here, can be termed as of those things which happen quite often in cricket, especially these days when the television eye’ is proving far superior to the human eye.

But this tour so far has not been a very peaceful one. The Indians were castigated by Australia’s most controversial umpire, Darryl Hair, while officiating in a four-day game at Sydney before this Test match.

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The Indians, obviously, would not like to have Hair officiating in any of the three Test matches but unconfirmed reports say that the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has appointed Hair umpire for the third andfinal Test at Sydney. The Indian manager has written to the ACB seeking the names of those who will umpire the next two Tests.

According to the ICC rules, visiting teams cannot ask the hosts names in advance and neither are the hosts obliged to seek their consent. The Indian think-tank here says that they are not going to raise any objections to whosoever is appointed to officiate in the next two Tests but would still like to know the names in advance.

After Australian umpire Daryl Harper’s decision today, the confrontationist situation is not going to get any better.