An Indian team source has finally revealed what Andrew Symonds said to Harbhajan Singh in the lead up to the alleged ‘monkey’ retort, which saw Singh suspended for three matches and India’s tour of Australia thrown into turmoil.
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The source spoke openly to newspaper The Indian Express.
“When the hearing was going on, Symonds admitted that he was the one who provoked Harbhajan by saying ‘F**k off’,” the source said.
“But they also kept insisting that Harbhajan called Symonds a ‘monkey’. When we denied that the Australians related instances from the past about how Symonds was subjected to racist taunts on the India tour last year.”
It’s also emerged that the Indians had offered to sort out the Harhhajan/Symonds matter behind closed doors, away from match referee Mike Proctor.
“Proctor completely ignored that, and Ricky Ponting kept silent,” the source said.
“We told the Australians in the meeting to think twice before levelling such a charge. We asked the Australian delegation, ‘Are you aware of the implications and seriousness of the charge?’ They just kept silent. We requested them not to make a big issue out of this and hoped that both sides could move on, but they did not listen. Now we have no other option,” said the source.
“They had no evidence at all with them, just a story, that’s why when we came to know of the possible punishment from Proctor inside the hearing, we were shattered,” they told The Indian Express.
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