Ugly uncle “Pancho” finally made its debut in Perth where the Indian team was training for their impending clash against the West Indies in their World Cup league game. Indian cricket icon and current Test captain Virat Kohli finally gave the ugly uncle an opportunity to raise its nasty head. Unfortunately, he aimed at the wrong end while trying for a dismissal.
‘How's that?’
Kohli saw a “run-out” chance and hurled abuses at a journalist who was present at the practice session, ostensibly for something the correspondent had written about the dashing cricketer’s personal life. Media reports and pictures of Kohli and the love of his life have been doing the rounds since India’s disastrous tour of England last year. Page 3 has been full of spicy news about the couple and the social media has been full of rumours and theories, none of which has gone down well with the Delhi dasher.
Turns out his verbal volley was aimed at the wrong set of stumps and the brilliant fielder found himself stranded at the wrong end, leaving his teammates and the Press corps completely dazed and confused. The gentleman abused was not the one Kohli wanted to dismiss but a doppelganger who has confused many in the past.
Since December 2014, when the first Test match between India and Australia began in Adelaide, one was expecting ugly uncle "Pancho" to make its presence felt. Having been kept on the bench during the entire Test and the One Day Tri-Series must have made uncle "Pancho" restless and it finally blurted out on the scene in style – aided by an Indian superstar in front of a captive audience.
An old relationship
Kohli and uncle "Pancho" seem to have a deep-rooted bond that goes back many years. One saw the start of the relationship in person, for the first time in an international arena at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur in March 2008 when Kohli captained India to win the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup. The Indian team performed brilliantly to beat South Africa in a rain-marred final to bring the Cup home.
The scene, after India restricted the Proteas to win by the Duckworth-Lewis system, was unbelievable. The boys in blue were prancing in joy on their way back to the dugout while being backslapped by their jubilant comrades. On their joyous path to the pavilion, one cricketer took a different route. Skipper Kohli, with a threatening raised fist, went towards the disheartened Proteas and told them who his uncle was.
Not just with Kohli, ugly uncle "Pancho" has been a loyal companion to many cricketers in India who swear by him – quite literally – in all forms of the noble game every time they get a wicket, effect a run-out or get a hundred in domestic and international matches. They may change their team loyalties and their jerseys but the ugly uncle is a constant.
Unrecognisable journos
Of course, one cannot blame Kohli for not recognising a senior journalist from a national mainline daily. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has (unofficially) banned players from interacting with the media, non-cricket chats included, during the tour of Australia and the current World Cup.
Team India’s media manager is dutifully executing this policy set by his bosses, and keeping the Press at arm’s distance from the players. Open and transparent communication has never been a priority with the BCCI, unlike other cricket-playing nations whose media managers go out of their way to accommodate members of the media with the right information.
As one itinerant journalist, currently covering the Cup, rightfully put it: This is how a media ban boomerangs!
You can follow Hemant Kenkre on Twitter @kenkre.
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‘How's that?’
Kohli saw a “run-out” chance and hurled abuses at a journalist who was present at the practice session, ostensibly for something the correspondent had written about the dashing cricketer’s personal life. Media reports and pictures of Kohli and the love of his life have been doing the rounds since India’s disastrous tour of England last year. Page 3 has been full of spicy news about the couple and the social media has been full of rumours and theories, none of which has gone down well with the Delhi dasher.
Turns out his verbal volley was aimed at the wrong set of stumps and the brilliant fielder found himself stranded at the wrong end, leaving his teammates and the Press corps completely dazed and confused. The gentleman abused was not the one Kohli wanted to dismiss but a doppelganger who has confused many in the past.
Since December 2014, when the first Test match between India and Australia began in Adelaide, one was expecting ugly uncle "Pancho" to make its presence felt. Having been kept on the bench during the entire Test and the One Day Tri-Series must have made uncle "Pancho" restless and it finally blurted out on the scene in style – aided by an Indian superstar in front of a captive audience.
An old relationship
Kohli and uncle "Pancho" seem to have a deep-rooted bond that goes back many years. One saw the start of the relationship in person, for the first time in an international arena at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur in March 2008 when Kohli captained India to win the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup. The Indian team performed brilliantly to beat South Africa in a rain-marred final to bring the Cup home.
The scene, after India restricted the Proteas to win by the Duckworth-Lewis system, was unbelievable. The boys in blue were prancing in joy on their way back to the dugout while being backslapped by their jubilant comrades. On their joyous path to the pavilion, one cricketer took a different route. Skipper Kohli, with a threatening raised fist, went towards the disheartened Proteas and told them who his uncle was.
Not just with Kohli, ugly uncle "Pancho" has been a loyal companion to many cricketers in India who swear by him – quite literally – in all forms of the noble game every time they get a wicket, effect a run-out or get a hundred in domestic and international matches. They may change their team loyalties and their jerseys but the ugly uncle is a constant.
Unrecognisable journos
Of course, one cannot blame Kohli for not recognising a senior journalist from a national mainline daily. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has (unofficially) banned players from interacting with the media, non-cricket chats included, during the tour of Australia and the current World Cup.
Team India’s media manager is dutifully executing this policy set by his bosses, and keeping the Press at arm’s distance from the players. Open and transparent communication has never been a priority with the BCCI, unlike other cricket-playing nations whose media managers go out of their way to accommodate members of the media with the right information.
As one itinerant journalist, currently covering the Cup, rightfully put it: This is how a media ban boomerangs!
You can follow Hemant Kenkre on Twitter @kenkre.