Danny Morrison addresses Mithali Raj as ‘my dear,’ faces backlash from journalists

Former New Zealand fast bowler and renowned commentator Danny Morrison has landed in a bit of a spot after he called India cricketer Mithali Raj ‘my dear’ at the conclusion of the second match of the Women’s T20 Challenge. The Trailblazers defeated Velocity by nine wickets with Mithali’s team getting bundled out for 47. It was after the match when Mithali was analysing the defeat that Morrison made the remark.

“Tomorrow’s a day off, my dear, Mithali Raj... what are you going to do, what are Velocity going to do tomorrow?” Morrison asked her.

In reply, Mithali laughed it off. “We’re going to recover from this defeat, definitely,” she said. “I think it’s important that we regroup and I know that there’s not been much of a preparation also … two matches back-to-back. But having said that, no team gets bad in one night. And I guess just get the girls [to] cheer up, because definitely they would have felt a little sad after their batting today.”

Morrison’s remark did not go down well with a couple of journalists. Taking to social media, Raf Nicholson, a writer for ESPNCricinfo and Wisden Cricket Monthly objected to how Morrison addressed Mithali and said: “Can’t believe this has to be said in 2020 but please DO NOT call female players “my dear” or tell them to “keep smiling” when you are interviewing them in the post-match.”

Former cricketer and a famous columnist with WCM, Isabelle Westbury, found it inappropriate and pointed out that if male cricketers such as MS Dhoni are never called “my dear,” it made no sense for Morrison to say it to Mithali either.

“Don’t call international sportswomen “my dear” in interviews. You wouldn’t say it to a man. It shouldn’t need to be said” she said in a tweet.

“I worry (a lot) about overreacting to these kinds of comments, to commentators who I’m sure do not set out to be patronising. We all slip up, I get that. But I also firmly believe that media have a responsibility to set the agenda, and language is so important to how we perceive our athletes – as leaders, as role models.

“The bar is a simple one: if you are addressing a former India captain, if you wouldn’t in a million years call MS Dhoni “my dear” then it shouldn’t even cross your mind to address Mithali Raj as such.”