Amidst the controversy surrounding Ravindra Jadeja’s press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, former England captain Michael Vaughan said that the entire episode could have been easily avoided with the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
During India’s first media interaction, the Australian press was left frustrated when Ravindra Jadeja refused to answer in English, answering questions exclusively in Hindi. The situation escalated when the BCCI media team informed the Australian reporters that the Indian all-rounder was in a rush to catch the bus and would not be able to answer in English.
Michael Vaughan suggests AI could have prevented Ravindra Jadeja’s press conference drama in Melbourne
It led to an abrupt end to the press conference in Melbourne, which did not sit well with the Australian journalists, who reportedly continued to film even after being asked not to film after the conference ended. But the situation took a sour turn when Channel 7 aired a report accusing Ravindran Jadeja of “refusing” to answer in English.
Read Also: Rohit Sharma strictly orders Mohammed Siraj & Co. to lighten Jasprit Bumrah’s burden
Actually, the press conference was organized for the Indian media, who travelled to Australia for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25; therefore, the questions were asked in Hindi at the press conference, and Jadeja is also more comfortable speaking in that language.
Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan, reacting to the matter, suggested that the entire fuss over language could have been avoided if AI translation tools had been used by the Australian media. He pointed out that there are AI systems capable of translating Hindi into English, which could have seamlessly conveyed Jadeja’s responses in Australian English.
The former England captain also pointed out that even though the translations might not be perfect, they would have solved the issue without adding unnecessary drama to the situation. Vaughan also slammed the Australian media for crossing their limits while filming families of the Indian players.
Michael Vaughan said in the Club Prairie Fire podcast: “India is a powerhouse. They clearly think cameras at the airport and filming families is a step too far. And this is their way of reacting. It just adds more drama for me. There are AI systems that you can use to translate Hindi into Australian English.
So if they are not willing to speak in English… Just put it into the system and it’ll come out as Australian English. You just quote Jadeja in what comes in the AI. It might not be the exact same, but it will be quite funny.”
Read Also: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Big boost for India as Kuldeep Yadav resumes bowling after surgery
Former England batter humorously hailed the Indian media manager’s handling of the press in Australia. Referring to the “we have a bus to catch” remark to avoid further questions from the Australian media, Vaughan quipped that the Indian cricket team doesn’t even travel by bus.
The cricket pundit also hailed the intensity and drama surrounding the ongoing Test series between India and Australia, mentioning the heated moments like Mohammed Siraj’s duel with Travis Head and the way Jadeja’s press conference unfolded. The Englishman also reflected on his past experiences with the Indian media manager in the UK to praise his firm, no-nonsense approach to dealing with the press.
Vaughan signed off by saying, “I like a little bit of spice in the series. I like the Mohammed Siraj vs. Travis Head… What Jadeja did. I like the press officer from the Indian side. The guy has been there for a while. We have had issues with him in the UK. I just like how he deals with the press and tells them to go away. “We’ve got a bus to catch.”
“I don’t think they have buses. That’s a lie. I think they have cars. I’m pretty sure they don’t go on a double decker team bus. They have pretty cool cars,” he added.