07 November 2006

Pushes and shoves and splitting hairs

Sachin was all over TV last nigh. Saying elders should be respected and all that. Sandwiched between footage of Sharad Pawar geeting shoved off camera by Martyn. Pawar rubbishes it, that push or shove - it certainly wasn't rude. What in the world pricked Tendulkar's bubble of studied isolation to make him take a stand? Particularly, the 'elders' bit. Respect to elders is a cultural thing. In India, an elder is automatically supposed to be respected. And who epitomizes that more than Tendulkar himself. By most yardsticks, the best ever Indian batsman, he still does not hesitate to ask a senior cricketer for advice. In some other cultures, life is all about earning respect. Ask Michael Hussey.

And if Tendulkar pretends to understand a cultural clash through his lofty ideals, does it not amount to something just short of cultural imposition?

That is if it were a cultural clash. I could be reading it wrong.