- Tight game was full of controversy on the field
- Some fans levelled cheating accusations at Aussies
With Indian fans accusing the home team of cheating and Aussie fans launching into a chant accusing one of the tourists’ biggest stars of being a ‘w**ker’, you could be forgiven for thinking the Boxing Day Test was full of culture clashes – but a new video proves that’s far from the truth.
Cricket diehards have reacted with joy to a clip showing Aussie spectators at the MCG wearing turbans, with many hailing it as a welcome antidote to the focus on the harsher aspects of the cricketing rivalry between the two countries.
The clip – which was posted to TikTok after Australia’s victory in the Test – shows a group of Aussie fans enjoying a few drinks while wearing pink turbans.
They’re not wearing the headgear in a misguided attempt to poke fun at the opposition spectators, however.
The start of the video shows another fan having his turban arranged for him in a tent outside the MCG as part of an initiative by a charity group.
Turbans 4 Australia has been helping Aussies in need since 2015, notably working tirelessly to cook and deliver thousands of meals to victims of bushfires and floods in recent years.
Pictured: One of many Aussie fans who took advantage of an initiative by a Sikh charity group who volunteered to tie turbans for spectators at the MCG’s Boxing Day Test
A video showing Aussie supporters wearing the headgear at the match (pictured) has drawn praise for showing a kinder side to the cricketing rivalry with India
The Turbans 4 Australia group behind the initiative have been helping Aussies in need since the organisation was founded in 2015
The organisation has also come to the aid of the homeless and people suffering from the effects of domestic violence, with the aim of promoting multiculturalism and religious tolerance.
Sikhs take their name from their term from ‘disciple’ or ‘student’ and wear turbans as part of their faith.
Cricket Australia promoted the Turbans 4 Australia tent on social media in the lead-up to the Test and it seems plenty of fans took them up on the offer.
The action on the field was at times hugely controversial, with Aussie fans launching into chants about Virat Kohli after he slammed his shoulder into Sam Konstas, and their Indian counterparts calling Pat Cummins and his men cheats after Yashasvi Jaiswal was given out by the video umpire.
But viewers of the video were full of praise for the way it showed a kinder, gentler side of how the two cultures came together at the MCG.
The clip was captioned, ‘While the media fuels the rivalry, here’s what’s really happening outside the MCG – Australians enjoying Indian food, music, and vibes.’
Commenters on the video were blown away by its positive take on the mix of cultures
Controversial moments on the field during the Test saw Aussie and Indian fans having a good-natured go at each other as Pat Cummins’ men won a classic match
Those sentiments were echoed in the comments section.
‘Finally something beautiful to see between both cultures,’ one wrote.
‘I actually love this so much this is actually really beautiful. I hate cricket but I can get behind this,’ added another.
‘It’s like Aus & NZ in all sports, we may hate them during the game but we’ve got their backs any other day of the week,’ wrote a third.
‘Beautiful. This is what the world should look like,’ another commented.
Those same fans would have been buoyed by the scenes involving the Indian and Aussie teams when they gathered at prime minister Anthony Albanese’s Sydney residence, Kirribilli House, on New Year’s Day.
While their rivalry on the field has been intense, both sides were seen mingling happily on the shores of the harbour as they played a lighthearted game of cricket.
Even the clash between Kohli and Konstas was forgotten as the former Indian skipper happily posed for photos with the 19-year-old’s brothers, who were also able to get a snap with the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.
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