scorecardresearch
Friday, July 25, 2025
Support Our Journalism
HomeSportCommentator Isa Guha apologises on air after controversy over ‘Most Valuable Primate’...

Commentator Isa Guha apologises on air after controversy over ‘Most Valuable Primate’ tag for Bumrah

After her remark sparked outrage, she said her comment was only meant to highlight Bumrah's talent, adding that she used a word 'that can be perceived in multiple ways'.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

New Delhi: The ongoing third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia in Brisbane was marred by controversy as commentator and former England cricketer Isa Guha called Jasprit Bumrah “MVP—Most Valuable Primate” while analysing his impressive bowling performance during the live broadcast of the second day’s play.

Guha’s remark sparked outrage with several social media users slamming her, which led her to issue a prompt apology ahead of the third day’s play.

She explained that her comment was intended as a compliment, meant only to highlight Bumrah’s exceptional skills as a fast bowler. She said during Fox Cricket‘s broadcast, “In yesterday’s commentary, I used a word that can be perceived in multiple ways. I’d like to extend my apologies for any offence caused. I hold myself to exceptionally high standards of empathy and respect for others.”

She added, “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.”

Guha said that she was trying to “frame the enormity” of Bumrah’s achievement and chose the “wrong word”.

“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,” she further said.

Fellow commentator Ravi Shastri, former head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, praised Guha for her “courage”, calling her a “brave woman” for owning up to her mistake and apologising on air.

“People are entitled to make mistakes, we are all human. In the heat of the moment, sometimes when you have the mic in your hand, things can happen. Let’s move on,” he said.

Guha began her cricket career as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, making her Test debut at the age of 17 years against India during their 2002 England tour. Notably, she was the first woman of Indian descent to represent England in the field of cricket. She also won the BBC Asian Network Sports Personality of the Year award in 2002.

Additionally, Guha’s role as an ambassador for Sporting Equals, an autonomous organisation promoting racial and ethnic equality in sport, and the British Asian Trust, which specialises in social finance, added another layer of complexity to the controversy. This caused a stir of opinions, with many questioning how someone who advocates for diversity and inclusion could make a comment perceived as offensive.

In the ongoing Test match, Bumrah has single-handedly spearheaded India’s attack so far, even as his teammates Akashdeep Singh and Mohammad Siraj showed glimpses of promise.

Bumrah’s spell, which yielded a remarkable 6/76, has been the highlight of the current match for India. He was responsible for the prized scalps of Travis Head, who notched up a century, and Steve Smith, who finally broke his century drought with a 101.

The five-wicket haul, Bumrah’s 10th, has catapulted him to an elite league, surpassing Kapil Dev’s record of nine five-wicket hauls outside Asia. Furthermore, he has also eclipsed Dev’s record of most five-wicket hauls in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries, with an impressive tally of eight, leaving behind Dev’s record of seven.


Also Read: Vinod Kambli says he commented against Sachin in frustration, ‘ready to go to rehab’


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

2 COMMENTS

  1. Isa Guha is there in the commentary box only to up the glam quotient. And, of course, to make stupid remarks on cricket players.
    Her understanding of cricket has always been suspect.

  2. Isa Guha has always been a person of questionable integrity and character. Her knowledge and understanding of cricket is shallow and the same is evident in her commentary. However, she gets included in the commentary team simply because in this modern age that we live in, diversity trumps merit. She is quite obviously part of the “diversity hires” made to ensure there is some sort of ethnic, religious, linguistic, racial, gender, etc. balance in the commentary box.
    Her claim to fame are a series of double meaning entendres.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular