Former women cricketer Isa Guha hits back at Geoffrey Boycott over his ‘equality over quality’ comment

Former England cricketer and commentator Isa Guha has hit back after a thinly-veiled barb from Geoffrey Boycott who claimed that BBC chose “equality over quality” by dropping him from its commentary panel.

Guha took umbrage at the reporting of the newspaper Daily Mail which wrote that former England opener Boycott was dropped for a “younger multi-racial line-up”. The 2009 World Cup winner went on clear that it feels a bit odd to hear that she has replaced Boycott in the panel despite working in the field covering the Men’s International cricket for BBC for almost ten years.

“I tend to ignore these articles and realise that, by reacting, it only fulfils the objectives of the headline. But having been subjected to this over the last few years I just wanted to say a couple of things. I appreciate people have varying opinions on the job I do as a presenter/commentator. However, the idea that I have ‘replaced’ Geoffrey is a bit odd, having worked on international men’s cricket at the BBC for the best part of 10 years,” she was quoted as saying by 7 News.

“My role is completely different to Boycott’s”: Guha

Speaking more about replacing Boycott, Guha said that her role is completely different. She is also tired of being dragged into sexism controversies due to the colour of her skin and gender.

“Furthermore, my role is completely different to Geoffrey’s. To keep being dragged into this kind of conversation purely because of the colour of my skin and gender is quite frankly tiresome and only serves to create division.

“I only have sadness that this should be deemed newsworthy over something more positive and inspiring,” Isa Guha added.

What did Boycott actually say?

Boycott, who was a part of BBC’s famous Test Match Special radio commentary team, was not pleased when his contract was not renewed in June. The legendary cricketer did not mince his words when he was asked about the revamped panel of the Test Match Special Show that included Guha, former England captain Alastair Cook and veteran seamer James Anderson.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Boycott mentioned that the network has chosen equality over quality. He added that the move of roping in new presenters was taken, keeping the gender and race in mind to suit political correctness.

“They have sacrificed quality for equality. It is now all about political correctness, about gender and race. When you work for them, you are wary and frightened of saying anything. It is a minefield out there, and that is sad.

“I think long after I am dead there will be a government come along who will take away the BBC’s funding and they will have to go private, out into the real world like ITV and Sky because at the top, it is not run particularly well,” said Boycott.

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