10 repartees by Indian cricketers that left the reporters dumbstruck

Indian cricketers and journalists have always shared a very intriguing relation between themselves. When the team is winning and everything is going as per plan, it is the media that escalates the cricketers’ stature to no less than that of a demigod. However, when the performance dips, the same reporters can make their life difficult by asking them some incisive questions.

Over the years, there have been several exchanges between cricketers and reporters which are worth remembering. There have been times when the reporters have been successful in coaxing the cricketers into speaking something which can make headlines; while at other times, the cricketers have also come up with some witty replies. Here are ten such repartees by Indian cricketers that left the reporters dumbstruck.

---

#1 Sehwag on hitting boundaries

Virender Sehwag is often in the news for his funny one-liners. Since he has taken to Twitter, he has set the social media on fire with his unique take on events. However, this aspect of Sehwag does not come as a surprise as he has been famous for his humour since his playing days.

The opening batsman made a name for himself with his explosive batting and the tendency to go after even the best of bowlers. It was Sehwag who brought about a paradigm shift in the way openers approached Test cricket. He always used to say, “Play the ball, not the bowler”.

#2 Dhoni on the comparison between two series defeats

The above statement came after India had lost consecutive Test series to England and Australia. The repeated collapse of India’s star-studded batting order and the disgraceful manner in which the team lost (whitewash) both these series invited a lot of flak from the critics.

Back home, many former cricketers also raised questions over Dhoni’s captaincy. The veteran wicketkeeper decided to answer the critics in his own manner when the reporter asked him to compare the two series defeats.

#3 Tendulkar on criticism

Sachin Tendulkar carried the hope of one billion people for more than two decades of his international career. Every time he stepped on to the field, all of India expected him to pull off something special.

When Tendulkar could not deliver, it was this unsurpassed love of the fans that turned into frustration. This led them to vent their anger on the legendary batsman.

But all this did not deter the Little Master. Rather, he took the criticism in his stride and answered all and sundry with his bat.

#4 Sehwag on his career coming to an end

It was around 2013 that Sehwag’s international career was coming to an end. He had not played an ODI since January 2013 and was dropped from the Test side in March that very year. With the rise of Shikhar Dhawan, it was unlikely that Sehwag would make a comeback.

Every cricketer goes through bad times in his career but Viru did not let his spirit drop even in those difficult moments. Instead of getting emotional or furious at the reporter, he handled the situation in a witty manner.

#5 Yuvraj on Pakistan

The cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan has been ongoing ever since the newly formed nation first toured India in 1952-53 under the leadership of Abdul Kardar, just after they gained Test status.

After India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj was in a jovial mood in the press conference. When he was asked about Afridi’s statements, he replied in a light vein.

#6 Dhoni on Shikhar Dhawan

In the cricketing circles, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is considered to be a very calm and measured cricketer which is why his dry sense of humour can catch you off guard.

Shikhar Dhawan announced his arrival in international cricket with a 183-run knock against Australia on his Test debut. This was followed by his spectacular performance in the 2013 Champions Trophy which India won.

However, Dhawan later lost his way in Test matches and had a string of failures. Skipper Dhoni came to the support of the southpaw and gave him a longer rope to prove his credentials.

#7 Sehwag on comparison with Sachin

Sehwag self-admittedly used to copy Sachin in his younger days. This led to a lot of similarities in their batting styles. When the two came out to open the innings together, Viru looked like a prodigy of Tendulkar.

However, the batsman turned commentator always maintained that he just tried to emulate the Little Master and could not even come close to his greatness. When asked about the difference between himself and his idol, his answer left everyone grinning.

#8 Dhoni on retirement

After leading India to victory in the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni’s performance gradually started waning. The player who once carried the entire team on his shoulders started getting the unsolicited advice of hanging his boots.

On one such occasion, when a reporter raised the same monotonous question about his retirement in the post-match press conference, MSD decided to come up with an innovative answer.

#9 Ganguly on Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar was one of the most, if not the most, formidable pacer of his time. So, there was a lot of build up around ‘the Rawalpindi Express’ as the India team toured Pakistan under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly.

As a Captain, Dada was someone who not only led the way on the field but also tried to motivate his players off the field through his statements. It was this attitude of Ganguly that instilled self-confidence in the side and helped India to clinch that series ultimately.

#10 Dhoni on India's transition

Dhoni was asked the above question at a time when greats like Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman were all retiring and young blood was gradually taking their place in the side.

It is an open secret that MSD is a big fan of Kishore Kumar. While Kishore was known for his melodious songs, Sean Paul is his complete opposite.

He is a Jamaican singer who is famous for his rap music. By comparing and contrasting the two singers, Mahi wanted to bring out the stark change that had come about in the Indian team.