12 All Time Memorable Sledging Moments In The History of Cricket
Updated - 06 May 2021, 12:18 PM
Sledging has been an integral part since the inception of the game of cricket. Just the battle between bat and ball, the war of words have also played a crucial role to determine the face of an encounter. The sport has given the fans uncountable incidents of sledging between the players which took an ugly turn.
Let us take a look at the 12 all-time memorable sledging moments in the history of cricket:
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Steve Waugh and Parthiv Patel
In 2004, the India-Australia series was tied 1-1 going into the fourth Test. Australia had an improbable target of 443 to win in just over 90 overs. Waugh was on strike when Parthiv made an underhanded comment.
“Let’s see if you can play one of those famous slog-sweeps, and miss one,” Parthiv said.
“Show a bit of respect, You were in nappies when I played my first Test match,” Waugh countered to the amusement of young India wicket-keeper.
Ricky Ponting and Shaun Pollock
The pace bowlers have always believed in giving it back to the batters every time. Meanwhile, the match is between South Africa, and Australia, the intensity of the game will be on an all-time high. Similar was the situation when Shaun Pollock went against Ricky Ponting.
After putting the ball past Ponting’s attempts without any contact on a couple of deliveries, South African bowler Shaun Pollock sarcastically pointed out to Ponting: “It’s red round and weighs about five ounces.”
Ponting hit the next ball out of the ground and said: “You know what it looks like, now go find it”.
Viv Richards and Merv Hughes:
When Australia toured West Indies for a five-match Test series in 1991, Merv Hughes had a very different approach to the game. In Jamaica, after every delivery, there was a stare by him to Viv Richards, which angered the West Indian captain.
The legendary West Indies batsman went up to him and said, “Don’t you be staring at me, man. This is my island, my culture. And in my culture, we bowl”.
It looked like as if Hughes was waiting for an opportunity and he replied saying, “In my culture we just say fuck-off.”
Sachin Tendulkar and Abdul Qadir
Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for India at the age of 16 years against Pakistan. Although he didn’t had a great debut, Tendulkar showed his abilities in the next 20-over exhibition match organised by Pakistan Cricket Board.
Batting first, Pakistan had put up 157 runs on board. At one stage, India was struggling after losing a few early wickets. Tendulkar made immediate remarks hitting Mushtaq Ahmed for two sixes in one over. The experienced Abdul Qadir after witnessing this went to Sachin and said ‘why are you hitting kids, try and hit me’.
The India legend replied hitting the veteran spinner for four sixes in an over.
Mark Waugh and James Ormand
James Ormond came out to bat in a match with Australia with Mark Waugh stood at slip. Waugh didn’t hold back and immediately said ‘what are you doing out here, you are clearly not good enough… to play for England’
Ormond replied: “Maybe so, but at least I’m the best player in my family”. Mark Waugh’s twin brother Steve Waugh was the captain of Australia at the time.
Daryll Cullinan vs Shane Warne
South African Daryll Cullinan was well known as someone who Shane Warne got out on umpteen occasions. The pair hadn’t come against each other in some time. So when they did, and Cullinan walked out to bat, Shane Warne couldn’t resist.
He said to Cullinan: “I’ve been waiting two years for another chance at you.”
“Looks like you spent it eating,” Cullinan replied.
Merv Hughes vs Javed Miandad
During a test match between Australia and Pakistan in 1991, Javed Miandad tried to sledge Merv Hughes.
Miandad said to him: “Merv you are a big, fat bus conductor”.
Just a few balls later, Hughes dismissed Miandad. In doing so, the Aussie cricketer ran past him and shouted: “Tickets please.”
Steve Waugh vs Herschelle Gibbs
In the World Cup in England in 1999, South Africa looked on course for victory even though Australia captain Steve Waugh was at the crease.
When Waugh clipped the ball straight to Gibbs, everyone would have expected the Proteas to grab the catch. Unbelievably, he dropped the ball. Waugh went on to score a hundred and win the match for Australia.
But just after Gibbs’ drop, Waugh reportedly said. “How does it feel to have dropped the World Cup?”
Rod Marsh and Ian Botham
The Ashes is not only known for their fights between bat and ball but also the verbal battles between players of both the camps. The war of words starts much before the tournament begin, and it plays a significant role.
During one of the Ashes Test, Rodney Marsh once went up to Ian Botham to ask him the unthinkable, “So how’s your wife and my kids?”
The reply from Botham was even more stunning, “The wife’s fine. The kids are retarded!”
Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan
Glenn McGrath is one of the best fast bowlers to have played the game in the 21st century. His consistency and accuracy took him to the pinnacle of success. Meanwhile, the Aussie quick was generally a calm customer and has lost his cool only a handful of times.
One such instance was against West Indies. McGrath walks up to batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan and asks him, “So what does Brian Lara’s di*k taste like?”.
Sarwan’s reply: “I don’t know. Ask your wife.” McGrath loses his cool. “If you ever fucking mention my wife again, I’ll fucking rip your fucking throat out.”
Rishabh Pant and Tim Paine
India created history beating Australia Down Under for the first time in history. Rishabh Pant was also in the headlines during those days for his batting as well as his banter with Aussie skipper Tim Paine. On day three of Melbourne Test, Paine started it all trying to pull Pant’s leg.
“You can come over for dinner. Do you babysit? I’ll take my wife to the movies, you can look after the kids?” Paine had said.
Pant also got some of his own back in the final innings of the Melbourne match, saying it would take “nothing special” to dismiss Paine, who he also labelled a “temporary captain”.
Meanwhile, it was all done in good humour and when the teams visited Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Kirribilli House on New Year’s Day, Paine’s wife, Bonnie, got in on the joke. She posted an Instagram story with Pant holding the youngest Paine, Charlie, who was born a few days back.
Virender Sehwag and Michael Clarke
Michale Clarke was at his task during a Test match against India. When master blaster Sachin Tendulkar walked out to bat, the Aussie batsman went up to him and said to Tendulkar, “You are too old, forget it. You need to go.
Although Tendulked kept mum, the conversation irked Virender Sehwag who gave a dashing reply to the Aussie cricketer. “What’s your age?” Clarke animatedly replied, saying, “23, mate!”
Sehwag then responded, “Do you know he [Tendulkar] has more hundreds in Tests and in ODIs than your age? Try someone your age, mate!”
Meanwhile, Clarke was in no mood to stop and continued with taunt Tendulkar calling him an oldie. Sehwag then shut the Aussie cricket by asking, “Your friends call you ‘pup’, right?” Clarke replied, “Yeah, mate.” Sehwag gave the final reply by asking, “Which breed?”
Soon after that, Tendulkar and Sehwag burst out laughing and Michael Clarke didn’t come in their way further in that Test match.
