Ben Stokes Gives A Shocking Reply To Harsha Bhogle Who Questioned English Culture Over Deepti Sharma Mankad Controversy

New Delhi: The Deepti Sharma-Charlotte Dean run-out controversy has got spicier with Ben Stokes getting involved in this. The Mankad saga has brought India and England cricketers and experts face to face. While the English have blamed India for going against the spirit of the game, the Indians have reminded them of their 2019 World Cup win where they won by a boundary count.

Famous Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle recently posted a long note and slammed the English media for their behaviour towards Deepti where they indirectly called her a cheater. Harsha also highlighted the British mindset and said that English want everyone to believe and think exactly the same as they do.

“I find it very disturbing that a very large section of the media in England is asking questions of a girl who played by the laws of the game & none at all of another who was gaining an illegal advantage and was a habitual offender. That includes reasonable people & I think  it is a cultural thing. The English thought it was wrong to do so & because they ruled over a large part of the cricket world, they told everyone it was wrong. The colonial domination was so powerful that few questioned it.

As a result, the mindset still is that what England considers wrong should be considered wrong by the rest of the cricket world, much like the “line” the Aussies say you must not cross having decided what the line should be which is fine in their culture but may not be for others. The rest of the world is no longer obligated to think the way England does and so we see what is so plainly wrong. So too the notion that turning tracks are bad but seaming tracks are fine.

The reason I say it is cultural is that it is what they are brought up to think. They don’t think it is wrong. The problem arises and we are guilty of it too, when people sit in judgement of each other’s approach. England wants the rest of the world not to like running out batters at the non-striker’s end and have been vitriolic and abusive towards Deepti and others who have done it. We come hard too asking others to wake up from centuries old colonial slumber.

The easiest thing is to play by the laws of the game & stop worrying about subjective interpretation of the spirit of the game, stop forcing opinions on others. The law says the non-striker must be behind the crease till the bowler’s arm is at its highest point. If you obey that, the game will move along smoothly. If you point fingers at others, like many in England have at Deepti, you remain open to questions asked of you. It is best if those in power, or who were in power, stop believing that the world must move at their bidding.

As in society, where judges implement the law of the land, so too in cricket. But I remain disturbed by the vitriol directed towards Deepti. She played by the laws of the game and criticism of what she did must stop,” wrote Bhogle in a series of Tweets.

Now Ben Stokes has also jumped into the controversy and gave a shocking reply to Harsha. Citing the example of 2019 World Cup final win, which England won by a boundary count, Stokes revealed that he still receives many messages from the Indian fans who call him from various odd names, countering Harsha’s opinion on British culture.

“Harsha .. 2019 WC final was over 2 years ago, I still till this day revive countless messages calling me all sorts from Indian fans, does this disturb you,” replied Ben Stokes.

Harsha .. 2019 WC final was over 2 years ago, I still till this day revive countless messages calling me all sorts from Indian fans, does this disturb you? https://t.co/m3wDGM7eU3

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 1, 2022

What about the rest of the worlds reaction to this particular incident?

England isn’t the only cricket playing nation who have spoken about the ruling . https://t.co/DlbqlbhSAT

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 1, 2022