Pathan jumps to Ravindra Jadeja’s defense after AUS media criticize all-rounder for Hindi interview: ‘No issue with…’

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja stirred up controversy in Melbourne when he chose to answer questions in Hindi during a media interaction. The questions were posed by Indian journalists, causing frustration among Australian reporters present who were left without a chance to ask Jadeja any questions. In a video aired on Australian television, a BCCI official clarified that Jadeja had to leave as the team bus was running late.

Despite it being a reasonable explanation, the Australian media went into a state of frenzy, and later aired the interaction with Jadeja and the official on television channels.

Rushing to Jadeja’s defence, former India player Irfan Pathan took to X and asked fans if it was ‘wrong’ to ‘give an interview in Hindi?’. He wrote, “What’s wrong if the player wants to give interview in hindi?”

The latest Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 media controversy comes after Virat Kohli was also left infuriated by the Australian reporters in Melbourne airport. On his arrival in Melbourne with his family, he was allegedly captured by media cameras in the airport. Then according to reported videos, he could be seen asking the media to not film his family without permission as it is his private life.

The visitors began the series with a 1-0 lead, winning in Perth. But the Australians staged a comeback in Adelaide, which was also a pink-ball affair, levelling the series at 1-1. In Brisbane, both sides had to settle for a draw, courtesy of rain. With two fixtures remaining, the fourth Test begins on December 26 in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Other than Jadeja’s media controversy, the Indian team are also dealing with veteran R Ashwin’s departure, who announced his immediate international retirement after the Brisbane Test.