Whatever happens on the field stays there. That is the motto of the current generation of cricketers and officials.
Umpires Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor had five bad days during the first Test between Australia and India, which concluded on Sunday. Virender Sehwag was fined 65 per cent of his match fee by Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle for showing dissent to the umpire's decision.
But long after the crowds had left the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore, Sehwag and Bowden were seen sorting matters out.
An animated Sehwag appeared to be re-enacting the shot he played that led to him being given out leg before wicket. The ball had hit Sehwag's bat before rapping his pad.
Bowden, on his part, explained how he was forced into raising his finger. Then, as both walked off the ground, Sehwag put his arm around Bowden's shoulder and all was forgotten.
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To which Sehwag replied, "It's cool; don't worry about it."
Earlier, Bowden had a long chat with Australia skipper Adam Gilchrist. Presumably, it was about the umpiring during the game.
Gilchrist voiced his support of the umpires.
"There have been a great deal of words written about the umpires, and lots of airtime on TV, but it goes without saying that some decisions will go against batsmen at some time, and on this occasion, India were on the receiving end more often than not.
"It's easy to say get on with it, take the good with the bad, but I don't remember reading on day two in Kolkata that the crucial wicket of Harbhajan's hat-trick [Gilchrist himself] was a certain fairly dubious lbw decision. You've got to move on.
"And what's more, there aren't many people in this room who've played in front of a crowd like that. The noise is extraordinary. When I went into bat, I had to say to Billy Bowden: 'Mate, I wouldn't do your job for quids', he said.
Bowden made it a point to speak to all people concerned and also chatted up India coach John Wright for a long time.
On being asked what the discussion was all about, Wright smiled, and, with a sly twinkle in his eyes, said, "It was a friendly discussion."
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