Quinton’s Knee

The on going Cricket T20 World Cup being played in the United Arab Emirates witnessed an unprecedented  controversy involving  a player who has generally stayed out of controversies and alongwith Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson graduated from their respective National U-19 Teams and made it big on the International Stage.

Quinton De Kock the batting mainstay of South Africa, a belligerent hard hitting batter, blessed with  great hand-eye coordination and a skillful wicket-keeper and well on course of achieving a legendary status in the sport for South Africa, had to undergo a tough test caused by his knee.

To express solidarity towards George Floyd who died after being pinned down under a knee of a police officer in Minneapolis, going down on one knee has become symbolic to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement against racism. The ritual of going down on one knee is acceptable across the world and particularly various sporting leagues ( viz. the English Premier League )and events have made the symbolic gesture a norm.

In the same vein, Cricket South Africa issued a diktat to its team playing the T20 World Cup to go down on one knee before the start of every match to which Quinton did not agree sighting personal reasons and withdrew from playing one of the fixtures. What followed was something which Quinton had not expected. Commentators, former cricketers, critics and fans were equivocal in criticising  Quinton’s inaction. He was under  a scathing attack and  was virtually labelled a racist.

A fan of Quinton myself, even I was taken aback . Was it a big deal going down on one knee to support a fair movement ? was the obvious question which came to my mind. However, is this symbolic gesture proof enough of someone’s anti-racist credentials. We can never be sure and therefore conversely also Quinton cannot be branded a racist if he has refused to take the knee. To bury the controversy, Quinton came out with a statement that he was not a racist and though he had his reasons for not taking the knee, he would fall in line as per his Board’s instructions. Quinton eventually joined the team, took the knee and all was well.

The BLM movement is one more honest effort to get rid of  the scourge of racism and I hope it succeeds and does not succumb to mere symbolism. However a prolonged and sustained effort is required to tackle racism right from the basics of upbringing, education and work culture so that a more acceptable and tolerant society towards race and colour, in particular is nurtured.

Worry not Quinton, you don’t have a racist Knee.