- Damien Martyn left Indian cricket fans fuming back in 2006
- Aussie batsman nudged BCCI President Sharad Pawar
- Martyn recalled incident in clip uploaded to X on social media
Australian cricket legend Damien Martyn has recalled how he briefly became public enemy number one in India – with angry fans even resorting to furiously writing his name on a donkey.
Martyn, 52, was chatting on the Club Prairie Fire page on X – formerly known as Twitter – with fellow greats Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan.
The stylish batsman from Western Australia can look back at the moment now and laugh – but back in 2006, it was a very different story.
Australia had just won the ICC Champions Trophy final against the West Indies over in India – and it was time to celebrate.
Problem was, revered BCCI President Sharad Pawar was taking an eternity to leave the presentation dais.
Australian cricket legend Damien Martyn has recalled how he briefly became public enemy number one in India – with angry fans even resorting to furiously writing his name on a donkey (pictured)
The incident involving Martyn unfolded just moments after Australia had won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy final against the West Indies over in India
Martyn nudged highly respected BCCI President Sharad Pawar (pictured, right) off the stage – and all hell broke loose
Martyn represented Australia from 1992 through to 2006 and was a fan favourite due to his classical technique
Martyn then took matters into his own hands – and soon regretted his actions.
‘I just pushed him [Pawar] a bit, like a nudge,’ he admitted.
‘He was in the way of our photo…. ‘Brad Hogg asked him politely [to move], Ricky Ponting didn’t say anything, so I nudged him.’
The man affectionately known as ‘Marto’ didn’t give the incident any more thought – until he arrived in the change room and team manager Steve Bernard asked him to talk to Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland.
‘It certainly escalated…. we then had to write a letter [to Pawar] apologising,’ Martyn said.
‘It wasn’t over yet either…the next day, [Indian] fans were burning flags of me in the street and there was a donkey with my name written on it surrounded by a mob.
‘I’m not sure if the donkey survived.’
Martyn later joked the donkey jibe was the ‘highlight of his career’ and that he often jokes with his son that he felt he ‘made it’ after the debacle.