The Indian cricket team appears to be boycotting the Australian media in the wake of Virat Kohli’s run-in with a journalist at the airport, with Ravi Jadeja refusing to answer questions in English at a press conference on Saturday. Local media were invited to the presser with Indian spinner Jadeja, but were left miffed when he only answered questions in Hindi from the travelling press.

None of Jadeja’s answers were in English, and the presser was abruptly ended when local media tried to ask questions. India’s media team later told reporters the conference was for “travelling Indian media only”, even though the Aussie media had been invited and made the effort to turn up.

One local reporter could be heard asking: “Can we get one in English? Just one in English? Can we get one for Australian media?” Things then took a heated turn when one journo fired up and said: “What’s the point? We didn’t get one in English. That’s disorganised and hopeless.”

India’s media team also claimed Jadeja had to make a quick exit because the team bus was leaving the MCG. Taking to social media, veteran Daily Telegraph journalist Dean Ritchie labelled it “petulant and surly”. He added: “Aren’t India wonderful ambassadors for their country and Test cricket. Ravi Jadeja faced media today but refused to answer questions in English.”

Others described it as “pathetic” and “disrespectful”, while many believe it was in response to the Kohli incident at Melbourne airport on Thursday. Kohli had a heated argument with a female reporter after taking exception to his family being filmed – despite the fact they were in a public place.

Kohli could be heard telling TV crews: “With my kids I need some privacy, you can’t film without asking me”. Channel 7 reporter Theo Doropoulos said Kohli “became a little heated” over what was described as a “misunderstanding” with the Australian media. Because Kohli and his family were in the public domain, there’s no law that says they can’t be filmed.

Ravi Jadeja calls on Indian top order to make runs

Meanwhile, Jadeja’s answers in Hindi were later translated. The all-rounder called for a stronger batting display from the Indian top order to ease the pressure on the team when they take on Australia in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

The tourists salvaged a draw in the rain-interrupted third Test in Brisbane despite another top-order failure, leaving the five-match series locked at 1-1 before the highly anticipated Boxing Day clash in Melbourne. The series will then head to Sydney for the final match, with Australia needing an outright series victory to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy back.

RELATED:

Jadeja helped India avoid the follow-on with a crucial 77 in the first innings, but said it was time for the specialists at the top to fire. “When you play outside India, especially in Australia or South Africa, it’s important for the top order to make runs,” he told travelling reporters at the MCG.

“If the top order doesn’t make runs or give us a good start, then definitely there is more pressure and responsibility on the lower and middle order. Hopefully in this match they do well. As a team, we need them to perform. If everyone contributes in the batting unit, the team will do well.

“The next two matches will be interesting. If we win one match, we retain the series, we obviously won the last two series here. It’s a good opportunity. This will be a crucial match.”

with agencies