Fox Sports commentator and former England cricketer Isa Guha has courted trouble after allegedly making a racially-sensitive comment about Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah live on air during Day 2 of the India vs Australia third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Australia’s 7 News reported that the incident happened during the first session of the second day of the Test at the Gabba. Isa Guha was in the commentary booth with former Australian cricketer Brett Lee.
The former Australian cricketer was describing the impact that the Indian pace spearhead Bumrah — who has claimed five wickets for 72 run in Australia’s first innings — was having on the match.
Brett Lee lavished praise on Bumrah, saying: “Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that’s the tone, and that’s what you want from the ex-skipper.”
7 News stated that that in response to Lee’s comment, Isa Guha responded: “Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah.
“He is the one that’s going to do all the talking for India, and why so much focus was on him in the build-up to this Test match, and whether he would be fit.”
The use of the word ‘primate’ might stand out particularly given the historical tension between the two cricket teams since the days of the 2008 Monkeygate scandal.
Back then, India’s ace spinner Harbhajan Singh had been accused of calling late Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds a “monkey” at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
While Harbhajan Singh was initially suspended for three games, after a vehement protest by the Indian camp, the ban was later rescinded.
Many years later, Andrew Symonds had opened up about how he had been affected by the comment.
When Isa Guha made the comment on air, it caught the attention of fans on social media, who called it a second coming of Monkeygate.
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