Karthik conceded that it was certainly not the right thing to say and assured of better choice of words during commentary in the future.
Follow Us
Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain and Team India cricketer Dinesh Karthik apologized for a sexist comment he made while on commentary duty for the second one-day international (ODI) match between England and Sri Lanka. Karthik had compared wives with bats, saying someone else’s always feels better. The wicket-keeper said that his choice of words was absolutely wrong. Karthik also assured he will be more careful in the future and not repeat the same mistake. He was one of the English commentators for the third ODI that was held in Bristol on Sunday. The KKR player was heavily criticized on social media platforms after his remark. Karthik also mentioned that he received a lot of stick from his mother and his wife.
“Batsmen and not liking bats, they go hand in hand. Most of the batters don’t seem to like their bats. They either like another person’s bat. Bats are like a neighbor’s wife. They always feel better,” Karthik had said during the match.
He made the remark when an England batter was trying out a bat from the Sri Lankan team’s balcony. Karthik was heavily criticised out on Twitter for the sexist and misogynistic remarks. He apologized for his words soon afterwards.
“I want to apologize for what happened last game. It’s not really what I intended. I just got it all wrong. I apologise to everybody. It’s definitely not the right thing to say,” the former KKR skipper said while he was on air during the third ODI on Sunday.
“I got a lot of stick from my wife and my mum for saying that. I am really sorry and that it shouldn’t happen again,” he added.
Commentators often come under the radar for saying something ill-fitting to the situation and something that holds the potential to blow up right in the face. However, is an apology enough?
This is not Karthik’s first stint in the commentary box. He was one of the two English commentators from India along with batting legend Sunil Gavaskar for the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), in which New Zealand firmly beat India to win the maiden edition. In an interview with India Today, the cricketer had said that it was a privilege to work with Gavaskar in the commentary box. He also stated that he was looking to learn from his time behind the mic.
The former KKR skipper has made very good use of his time away from cricket. He has been constantly involved with the game, doing commentary stints and so forth. Karthik said that he has not yet given up on his chances to make a comeback to the Indian team. He would have to replicate the comeback story of a certain Ashish Nehra at this age to do that.
The last time the wicketkeeper was a part of the Indian team was two years ago at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. He is still a very crucial member of the KKR lineup and will be in action soon as the Indian Premier League (IPL) nears its return date. Karthik has also been a vital performer for the Tamil Nadu cricket side in the domestic season.
