First Virat Kohli, now Australian media mocking Rohit Sharma as a ‘crybaby’

After its recent attack on Virat Kohli, the Australian media has once again crossed the line with its treatment of Indian cricket stars.

After its recent attack on Virat Kohli, the Australian media has once again crossed the line with its treatment of Indian cricket stars. This time it is the turn of Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team who was ridiculed for his reaction to a dropped catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal during the ongoing series.

In a recurring trend, the Western Australian newspaper published a picture of Rohit Sharma with a pacifier in his mouth with the caption “Captain Cry Baby”. This latest post follows on from their earlier unsportsmanlike mockery of Virat Kohli, in which they depicted the star with a ‘joker nose’ to make the local audience laugh.

The back page of tomorrow’s The West Australian.@westaustralian @TheWestSport pic.twitter.com/K6R7EC1sVy

– Jakeb Waddell (@JakebWaddell) December 29, 2024

Unjustified criticism from the media

The Australian media’s latest move is part of a wider trend of targeting Indian players to gain attention. Before the series began, players like Kohli and Sharma were hailed as superstars, but now they seem to have become targets of ridicule in the media. The ‘Captain Cry Baby’ headline ridiculing Sharma for showing anger towards Jaiswal after the dropped catch illustrates the disrespect the Indian players are currently facing.

Such actions by the media are seen by many as crossing the line as they move from light-hearted banter to personal attacks. These depictions serve no purpose other than to mock and denigrate Indian cricket stars.

The incident that sparked this latest attack occurred when Rohit Sharma was visibly angry at Yashasvi Jaiswal for taking a simple catch during the game. That moment in which Sharma expressed his frustration was caught on camera and became the focus of the Australian media’s latest jibes.

The media’s interpretation of the event was to brand Sharma as overly emotional and childish, as reflected in the “crying baby” depiction. While Sharma’s anger was likely a moment of intense frustration, the media chose to trivialize him in a way that many consider inappropriate, especially given the risks in international cricket.

Impact of dropped catches on India’s performance

Beyond the media ridicule, the lost catches had a noticeable impact on Team India’s performance. Key moments were missed as relatively low scoring Australian players were given extra chances due to the drops. This is how the drops affected the game:

1. Usman Khawaja was at 3 when dropped but scored 8 runs before being dismissed at 20/1.
2. Marnus Labuschagne was dropped when he was at 46. He then scored 70, helping Australia’s score rise from 99/6 to 148/7.
3. Pat Cummins was also dropped on 21 and added another 20 runs before being dismissed at 173/8.
4. Nathan Lyons still batting after falling to 5, with a current Australian score of 228/9.

These lost catches not only kept the Australians’ tails wagging longer, but also changed the momentum in their favor, allowing them to extend their lead.

Media criticism versus local realities

While the Australian media continues to target Indian cricketers for their comedic value, the real problems lie on the field. Missed catches, missed opportunities and mistakes can drastically change the course of a game and this is where the Indian team’s focus must lie. Ultimately, mocking players for their emotions or reactions only detracts from the true competition and sportsmanship that cricket represents.

As the series progresses, it becomes clear that Team India’s challenge is not only against the formidable Australia team, but also through harsh criticism and ridicule from the media. However, players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have shown time and again that they have the resilience to overcome such distractions and perform at their best.

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