Cricket commentator Isa Guha has come under fire after appearing to call India star Jasprit Bumrah a ‘primate’.
The pace bowler took five wickets during day two of the weather-impacted third test in Brisbane between Australia and India.
But after the opening hour of play on Sunday, Guha and Brett Lee stopped to reflect on Bumrah’s excellent series so far, with the 31-year-old having taken 12 wickets in the opening two Tests.
‘Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that’s the tone, and that’s what you want from the ex-skipper,’ Lee had said after Bumrah had dismissed both Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.
Guha subsequently responded: ‘Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah.’
Guha took 29 wickets across eight Tests for England’s Women’s side during her 10-year spell with the national side.
Isa Guha appeared to make a racially sensitive comment about Jasprit Bumrah while live on Fox Cricket’s coverage of Australia’s third Test against India
It came as Bumrah (left) took five wickets during Sunday’s play at the Gabba, as Australia ended the day 405/7
After ending her international career in 2011 she’d go on to pursue a career in broadcasting, joining up with ITV in 2012 for their coverage of the Indian Premier League.
The moment has been going viral online, with The Times of India comparing it to the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal during the 2007-2008 Border-Gavaskar Series.
It came after Andrew Symonds alleged India star Harbhajan Singh to have called him a ‘monkey’ during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Harbhajan was handed a three-match ban but denied any racist language.
He was later cleared and had the ban rescinded following an appeal before a New Zealand High Court judge.
The pair would later shake hands when they shared a dressing room while playing in the IPL in 2011.
