Boot the bully out.

Yesterday at the end of the IPLT20 match against Kings XI Punjab, Harbhajan the losing captain of the Mumbai Indians team was dutifully shaking hands with the players of the opposing team. However, when it was the turn for Sreesanth, a fellow international , Bhajji decided to do it differently. Harbhajan suddenly slapped Sreesanth. Sreesanth, the new “aggressive” bowler of the Indian team didn’t know how to strike back. Instead he broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably. One did not see the slap on national television but everybody saw Sreesanth crying.

It is not the first time that Bhajji has been caught bullying. I remember watching a match during the challenger series (among India Red, Blue & Green teams) in Sept’06 when Bhajji on his way to complete a run (and in full view of the camera ) suddenly shoulder-charged Sreesanth. Sreesanth was completely flabbergasted there too. Just didn’t know why is he being hit.

Cricket may have lost its gentlemanly spirit of the 20th century but it still is an outdoor sport where intentional body-contact is a strict no-no. Slapping or shoulder-charging a fellow cricketer needs to be stopped and the only way to do so is give an exemplary punishment to Bhajji.

Hayden , on hindsight, may have been a bit restrained when he called him “obnoxious weed” a few months back. Bhajji , actually turns out to be a “disgusting punjabi poppy”.