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Don’t dis’ my country

England vice-captain Trescothick not only let down his side, he also insulted a proud cricketing nation says Asian News cricket columnist and former international Aakash Chopra, back in the UK for the summer season

A DAY before I left for England for another summer stint, there came the news that England's longstanding vice-captain, Trescothick's mysterious reason for missing the tour of India was finally out. Apparently, it was a mystery bug.
The report quoted him as saying that he found India and Pakistan difficult places to tour with family in tow. And gave the impression that the subcontinent was some horribly mysterious place from a medieval era where basic facilities were unavailable.
The cricketer in me refused to believe that he could've said all this in this day and age, where every action and statement made by a cricketer is scrutinised minutely and even an inadvertent off-the-cuff reaction can cause a furore. Most players are well aware of this scrutiny and as a result, we generally try and make politically correct and diplomatic statements.
But I got here and what I saw on Sky News just baffled me. Trescothick had indeed said all that and more on camera during an interview. He talked about how touring --- being away for 300 days in a year living out of a suitcase --- affected one's personal life. Some of what he said was justified but a few reported incidents surrounding Trescothick these last few months makes no logical sense at all.
There were reports that when offered the captaincy during the tour of Pakistan in the absence of Michael Vaughan, he called his wife up to ask for permission. Then, he was due to fly back to England during the same tour because his father-in-law fell off a ladder.
Last, but not least, this: Leaving India before the start of a hugely important test series, first apparently for "personal reasons" which actually, as we just learned, was this mystery bug that can't be spoken of.
This mystery bug must've been really nasty because he was in tears when he boarded the flight back from India just after the English coach had stated he was leaving for personal reasons and that everyone should respect his privacy.
When he left, personally, I sympathised. It is vital to sort out one's personal life and, after all, whatever the public believes, cricketers are human as well. Moreover, if you're not fully focused on the job at hand due to any reason, whether it's mental, personal or physical, you're letting the team down and it's better to let someone else play.
The entire media gave him that leeway and ended the matter there. But now, his "mystery bug" and a couple of tactless statements have needlessly started a fresh debate. And his comments have really put me off because he really has no business making what amount to derogatory remarks about another country.
In both India and Pakistan, players and their families are treated like kings and queens. Perhaps he should ask his colleagues who're travelling across India with their wives and girlfriends. I'm sure they'll have a lot of good things to say about our hospitality.
And then, as far as the playing goes, our players have played cricket despite very serious problems. Remember, Sachin played the World Cup matches even after his father died. Kumble bowled in a test in the Caribbean with a broken jaw and I don't remember a single Indian cricketer of the current lot who left a tour midway stating personal problems that later became a "mystery bug".
Forget Indians, even Trescothick's team-mate and England's stand-in captain, Andrew Flintoff, famously opted to stay back instead of being with his wife for the birth of his second child. His remaining behind was vital for his team. For most people, unless it's really serious, missing a tour midway is letting the team and country down.
And if it was a serious personal crisis, why talk about a mystery bug and make it worse by unkind references to other countries? Still, on a personal note, as an English cricketer, Trescothick'll probably regret not being part of a squad that won their first Test in India in 21 years to level the series. If someone of his undoubted class had been there, he's probably their best batsman, who knows what they could have done?

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