Despite the fact that the Gavaskar-Border Test Match series has ended a couple of days back and India has taken the trophy home, the controversies related to it are refusing to die.
The Australian cricketers and media together questioned the decision of Indian team captain Virat Kohli to stay out of the playing eleven of the last test match of the series which was played in Dharamshala, considering the fact that the result of this match was supposed to decide the result of the series too. Kohli took the decision of not playing in the most crucial test match of the series because he was not 100% fit to play.
Brad Hodge, the former Australian cricketer and the coach of IPL team, Gujarat Lions, also made a nasty remark about Virat Kohli and said that the Indian captain must have taken rest to refresh himself for IPL. This statement didn’t go well with Indian cricket fans including megastar Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Gautam Gambhir and they thrashed him in a kickass way.
In a nutshell, Brad Hodge got slammed on social media mercilessly after his unpleasant comment and now it seems as if he has realized his mistake and therefore, he has issued an apology for it on Twitter:
“As a professional sportsperson who has represented his country, I certainly understand what it means to step out on a cricket field donning your nation’s colours. It is the highest honour a sportsperson can ask for.
Keeping that in mind, I take this opportunity to apologize to the people of India, cricket fans, the Indian national cricket team, and particularly Virat Kohli for my previous comments. My intention was never to harm, criticize or be derogatory towards anyone. They were intended to be light-hearted comments with the utmost respect to the Indian Premier League which I have thoroughly enjoyed through the years.
The public & fans have every right to be upset, and the backlash I have received has certainly driven the point home.
Again, I am deeply apologetic to the country which has bought me so much joy, and its inspirational leader in Virat Kohli, to whom I mean no ill-intention & respect highly as a professional.
Regards,
Brad Hodge”
— Brad Hodge (@bradhodge007) March 29, 2017
While Brad Hodge apologized for his mistake, Indian cricketer R. Ashwin added a pinch of humor to it when he tweeted, “On a lighter note, from this year onwards 30th march will be remembered as world apology day.”
On a lighter note, from this year onwards 30th march will be remembered as world apology day.😂
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) March 30, 2017
It’s good to see that this controversy has hopefully ended now! What do you say? Will all this affect IPL?
