Gavaskar said that Conrad's "grovel" comment was a bad choice of words

Gavaskar said that Conrad's "grovel" comment was a bad choice of words

Sunil Gavaskar has sharply criticised South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad for using the term “grovel” while describing his team’s strategy against India during the second Test of the recent series. The comment came at the end of Day 4 in the Guwahati Test, where Conrad outlined South Africa’s intent to wear India down and push for a win.

Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised South Africa coach Shukri Conrad for his use of the word “grovel” while describing India’s position in the second Test at Guwahati. Gavaskar said Conrad should have been more mindful of the long-standing relationship between Indian and South African cricket.

He reminded that South Africa owes India gratitude for its support over the years, especially since the Indian board was instrumental in bringing South Africa back into international cricket after decades of isolation.

Gavaskar also highlighted the role of Indian investment in South African cricket today. He pointed out that all six franchises in the SA20 league are owned by Indian companies, which has created jobs and opportunities not only for South Africa’s star players but also for fringe cricketers trying to build careers. According to him, this shows how deeply Indian cricket has contributed to South Africa’s growth.

Reflecting on the history between the two nations, Gavaskar said India and South Africa have always played tough but fair cricket, never hostile. He called Conrad’s remark “ill-advised” and said it was simply the wrong word at the wrong time. Gavaskar added that while an apology is not necessary, a clarification would be welcome. He believes Conrad should acknowledge that he got carried away in the heat of the moment and move forward.

The controversy stems from Conrad’s post-match comments, where he said South Africa wanted India to “really grovel” in the field before being asked to bat. The word carries racial baggage, as it was infamously used by Tony Greig in the 1970s against the West Indies. Gavaskar noted that such language was unnecessary given the positive ties between the two cricket boards.

South African legend Dale Steyn also distanced himself from Conrad’s statement. He said he did not agree with the use of the word, stressing that certain terms carry stigma and should not be used. Steyn added that South Africa was already in a dominant position in the match, and silence would have been enough instead of making such remarks.

This episode has sparked debate about the importance of language in cricket, especially when it touches on sensitive historical contexts. Gavaskar’s comments underline the need for respect and perspective in maintaining the strong bond between Indian and South African cricket.