NEW DELHI: Former England cricketer Isa Guha has apologised for her choice of words while praising Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at The Gabba.
The remark, directed at India’s pace spearhead Bumrah, has reignited conversations about unconscious bias and cultural sensitivity in sports commentary.
READ ALSO: Jasprit Bumrah abused with racial slur as Isa Guha calls him ‘primate’ on air
On Sunday, the incident occurred as Guha, responding to Brett Lee’s glowing assessment of Bumrah’s fiery spell, referred to him as the “MVP—Most Valuable Primate.”
While her intention may have been to highlight the enormity of Bumrah’s achievements as India’s standout bowler in a tough game, the use of “primate” struck an uncomfortable chord.
“Yesterday in commentary I used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. I’d like to apologise for any offence caused. I set myself really high standards when it comes to empathy and respect of others,” said Guha.
“If you listen to the full transcript I only meant the highest praise for one of India’s greatest players. And someone that I admire greatly. I’m an advocate for equality and someone who has spent their career thinking about inclusion and understanding in the game,” she added.
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“I was trying to frame the enormity of his achievement and I’ve chosen the wrong word. And for that I am deeply sorry. As someone who is also of south Asian heritage I hope people would recognise there was no other intention or malice there, and I hope this hasn’t overshadowed what has been a great Test match so far – and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.”
Given cricket’s fraught history with racial tensions, including the infamous ‘Monkeygate’ scandal between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds in 2008, Guha’s comment inevitably drew comparisons.