British Test cricketer of Bengal descent Isa Guha (in pic) has called on Indian families based in the UK to support England first and India second in cricket matters.
The 29-year-old, who was part of the World Cup winning England women’s cricket team, has become the first female expert to join the BBC’s Test match summarising team alongside the likes of Geoffrey Boycott.
“I’ve always been an England fan. I was born and bred here,” she told ‘Radio Times’ in an interview. She said that she supported India as a second team “whenever England aren’t playing”. “I do pass the Tebbit test, you know,” she added.
The phrase refers to an infamous 1990 interview in which former British Cabinet minister lord Norman Tebbit said: “A large proportion of Britain’s Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer forIJ Are you still harking back to where you came from, or where you areIJ” Guha, the first Indian-origin player in England’s women’s squad, feels “it’s about changing the mindset of Asian communities; that it’s okay to play for England.
Parents and families generally support the countries that they come from - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. During a decade-long career she was part of England teams that won the women’s Ashes and World Cup, retiring from international cricket in 2012 after 113 caps.
