As darkness fell over the Nehru Stadium, with the clock not yet reading five, a group of journalists milled about on the turf, waiting for a representative from the Indian team to show up for the mandatory post-match press conference.
Pabitra Gogoi, Media Manager, Assam Cricket Association, informed them that none of the players were available to address the press. Coach Gary Kirsten, jogging laps around the ground, ignored requests to speak to the media.
This wasn't the first instance of the Indian team turning a cold shoulder to post-match niceties. In August, at the end of an ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla, the players kept the media waiting for an hour and a half for their football kick-about to end.
They gave up in the end, and trudged back to the press box, and were forced to do so again here on Sunday.
“For ICC events, the post-match press conference is mandatory. The losing captain will attend it first, and then the winning captain and the man of the match,” said Sami ul Hasan, Communications Officer, International Cricket Council. “Since this is a bilateral series, you must contact the BCCI.”
“I'm not aware of any regulations. I cannot comment on this,” said Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI.
Earlier, New Zealand's acting captain Ross Taylor said that IPL teammate Virat Kohli's century left him with mixed emotions.
“I've followed his career with great interest, having played with him in Bangalore. He's a special player,” he said. “The way he's played for India in the last 12-18 months has been outstanding.
“I'm sure, if he continues to bat this way, Test cricket won't be far for him. It's good to see him scoring a hundred but a little disappointing that he scored it against us.”
Taylor said he was glad to get runs under his belt here, after a mediocre Test series. “It was disappointing, the way I played in the Tests. Today was okay, but I needed to get to three figures.”
