Damien Martyn Reveals How He Enraged Indian Fans To The Point Of Burning His Images And Writing His Name On A Donkey

Australian cricket legend Damien Martyn recently shared a humorous anecdote from his past, revealing how he inadvertently became a target of Indian cricket fans’ ire in 2006. During a conversation on Club Prairie Fire, a social media platform, Martyn, along with fellow cricket greats Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, recounted the incident, which eventually became a source of amusement.

In 2006, Australia had just emerged victorious in the ICC Champions Trophy final against the West Indies in India, and it was time to celebrate. However, the celebration was momentarily hindered by the presence of Sharad Pawar, the revered President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who was taking his time to leave the presentation stage.

Damien Martyn explained that Pawar’s delay obstructed their photo opportunity. In an attempt to address the situation, Brad Hogg politely asked Pawar to move, while Ricky Ponting remained silent. Martyn, affectionately known as ‘Marto,’ took a slightly different approach by giving Pawar a nudge.

“I just pushed him [Pawar] a bit, like a nudge, He was in the way of our photo… Brad Hogg asked him politely [to move], Ricky Ponting didn’t say anything, so I nudged him,” he said.

Damien Martyn Had To Apologise For His Actions

Although Damien Martyn didn’t think much of the incident at the time, he soon found himself summoned to speak with James Sutherland, the head of Cricket Australia. The situation escalated to the point where Martyn and the team had to draft a letter of apology to Pawar for their actions.

‘It certainly escalated…. we then had to write a letter [to Pawar] apologizing,’ Martyn said.

However, the amusing twist in the tale came the following day when Indian fans expressed their displeasure in a rather creative and comical manner. Reports emerged that fans had burned flags bearing Martyn’s name in the streets, and even more remarkably, there was a donkey with his name written on it, surrounded by a gathering of people.

“It wasn’t over yet either…the next day, [Indian] fans were burning flags of me in the street and there was a donkey with my name written on it surrounded by a mob. I’m not sure if the donkey survived,” he added.

Damien Martyn humorously recalled that he wasn’t sure if the donkey had survived the ordeal but that the incident had become a source of amusement for him in hindsight. He even quipped that the donkey episode was the “highlight of his career” and often jokes with his son that he felt he had truly “made it” in the world of cricket following the memorable debacle.

This lighthearted anecdote serves as a reminder that cricket, while fiercely competitive on the field, often provides moments of levity and humor off the pitch. Martin’s story is a testament to the enduring passion and enthusiasm that cricket fans, particularly in India, have for the sport and their unique ways of expressing it.