- Isa Guha appeared to make a racially sensitive comment on live television
- The English cricket commentator was reflecting on Jasprit Bumrah’s form
- Australia finished day two 405/7 after an excellent batting performance
Cricket commentator Isa Guha has come under fire after appearing to call India star Jasprit Bumrah a ‘primate’.
The pace bowler took five wickets during day two of the weather-impacted third test in Brisbane between Australia and India.
But after the opening hour of play on Sunday, Guha and Brett Lee stopped to reflect on Bumrah’s excellent series so far, with the 31-year-old having taken 12 wickets in the opening two Tests.
‘Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that’s the tone, and that’s what you want from the ex-skipper,’ Lee had said after Bumrah had dismissed both Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.
Guha subsequently responded: ‘Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah.’
She is expected to make a formal announcement about her statement during Fox Sports coverage of day three of the third Test on Monday.
Former England cricket player and Fox Sports commentator Isa Guha has come under fire for comments made about Indian star Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test against Australia
Guha allegedly called Bumrah a ‘primate’ during a conversation with fellow commentator Brett Lee (pictured) while live on air
Guha is pictured with Indian great Ravi Shastri ahead of the Test series between the two powerhouse cricket nations
‘Understand Isa Guha is remorseful regarding her comments yesterday. The plan at this stage is for her to address them on air for Fox Cricket today and apologise,’ Channel 7 reporter Tom Morris posted.
The backlash from Indian supporters has been severe, with Guha’s Instagram account targeted by attacks Daily Mail Australia has opted not to publish.
Several more have been weeded out by the social media giant’s moderating system.
‘Jasprit bumrah is like our god,’ one fan posted in one of the less savage comments.
‘You are not a great commentator, Bumrah is the most dangerous bowler of India,’ added another.
There were numerous other comments in the Indian national language Hindi as well.
Others have lashed Guha on social media platform X, calling for her to be removed from commentary by Fox Sports or the ICC.
‘Absolutely shocking, Isa Guha calls Jasprit Bumrah ‘primate’ on air. Can you believe it’s 2024 and we are still plagued with that third world / first world mentality,’ Indian lawyer Dhruv Sharma posted.
Isa Guha appeared to make a racially sensitive comment about Jasprit Bumrah while live on Fox Cricket’s coverage of Australia’s third Test against India
It came as Bumrah (left) took five wickets during Sunday’s play at the Gabba, as Australia ended the day 405/7
However the veteran commentator has also received plenty of support, saying she has been ‘misunderstood’.
‘Given Isa Guha is herself a British-Indian whose parents came from Kolkata, hands up who thinks she was being racist to an Indian rather than saying something people misunderstood?’ asked one cricket fan.
Guha took 29 wickets across eight Tests for England’s Women’s side during her 10-year spell with the national side.
After ending her international career in 2011 she’d go on to pursue a career in broadcasting, joining up with ITV in 2012 for their coverage of the Indian Premier League.
The moment has been going viral online, with The Times of India comparing it to the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal during the 2007-2008 Border-Gavaskar Series.
It came after Andrew Symonds alleged India star Harbhajan Singh to have called him a ‘monkey’ during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Harbhajan was handed a three-match ban but denied any racist language.
He was later cleared and had the ban rescinded following an appeal before a New Zealand High Court judge.
The pair would later shake hands when they shared a dressing room while playing in the IPL in 2011.
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