Harsha Bhogle hits out at English media for portrayal of Deepti Sharma in run-out row

The Deepti Sharma-Charlie Dean controversy has been the most talked about thing in cricket since the evening of 24^th September, when the Indian all-rounder run-out Dean at the non-striker’s end to take India to a historic 3-0 victory at the Lord’s cricket ground in London. Sharma received massive criticism for her move from the English media, and while there have been many to support her and defend her, Harsha Bhogle joined the bandwagon on Friday afternoon.

Bhogle, one of the finest Indian commentators currently, backed Deepti Sharma and lashed out at the English media for portraying her in the incorrect manner. Even though the MCC, the guardians of the rules of the game, has been steadfast in supporting the run-out as a legal mode of dismissal, current and former England players, alongside the media, have been outspoken in their criticism of the dismissal method, citing the spirit of cricket to back their sayings.

Bhogle took to Twitter on Friday, September 30, and opened up on the long going controversial topic by favoring Deepti Sharma. He shared eight tweets by creating a thread, and explained why he felt that what was happening had been unfair, as he said:

“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.”

While no other media person or cricketer has been talking about the women’s game before India clinched the series early by winning the first two games, the social media was divided into two after the conclusion of the third game. There were very few English cricketers who supported Sharma’s move, like Alex Hales and Heather Knight, but most of them criticized her and portrayed her wrongfully.

“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,” Bhogle added.

Here's what Harsha Bhogle had to say:

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 (2/n)

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 30, 2022

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 (4/n)

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 30, 2022

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(6/n)

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 30, 2022

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

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 30, 2022