Former England batter Mark Ramprakash has said that certain sections of the media and public are struggling to accept the power India now have in cricket due to unconscious bias.

The ongoing 2023 World Cup has not been without its controversies right from the time the tournament opened to a lukewarm response in Ahmedabad. Though the opener between England and New Zealand did not see large crowds in the afternoon on a working Wednesday, almost 47,000 spectators filled in to witness the match by evening. The turnout in relatively large stadiums has been one of the major talking points in the edition despite ICC confirming more than 1 million fans have attended the games, making it one of the most attended cricket events in history.

Recently, a storm was created over the pitch used for the India-New Zealand semi-final, with reports suggesting the hosts pushed for a change in pitch without any approval from the ICC. It was the latest allegation directed towards India and the BCCI, with the outfield in Dharamsala, despite escaping sanctions by the ICC, and the environmental conditions in Delhi also being targeted.

Ramprakash has, however, suggested, that some members of the public are always on the lookout for incidents that could paint Indian cricket in a negative picture. It arises from an internal struggle to accept their dominance, he writes in the Guardian.

“With 47 games played and one to go it is already clear that, whatever happens in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the Cricket World Cup has been a huge success,” wrote Ramprakash. “Of course, there has been wonderful cricket, but you also have to admire the logistical operation that has brought it all together almost flawlessly across a huge nation.

“Despite that I have got the impression that some members of the public, and certainly some sections of the media, have been looking for cock-up, corruption or conspiracy at every turn: stories about the bad outfield at Dharamsala, about air pollution in Delhi, which wicket is being used at the Wankhede.”

“There seems a determination to be negative, and I wonder whether some of it is unconscious bias from people who look on India as a former colony and are struggling to come to terms with the power they now have in cricket. The fuss about the pitch used for India’s semi-final against New Zealand was a case in point. India won an important toss and got a massive score on what was obviously a decent pitch, as Kane Williamson admitted afterwards. It was a meaningless distraction that for me took nothing away from another great performance from a magnificent team.”

Over 700 runs were scored in the India-New Zealand semifinal that was eventually won by India, who are on a 10-match winning streak and will face Australia in the final on November 19 in Ahmedabad.

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