The superstar culture has been prevailing within and outside the Indian cricket team for a very very longtime. This is not at all a recent phenomenon. This has got nothing to do with the enhanced exposure of the players. This has got nothing to do with the demi-god status certain cricketers enjoy in this nation. The superstar culture has been going on even during the days when television was a luxury item, leave alone the modern inventions like phone, tablet and other things. Back in the day, eversince I started to watch the game, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar where the stars. Indians simply stopped working whenever they were on the field. Infact, there was constant bickering between the fans of either players. This has continued eversince. The advent of satellite television in the early 90s, has exasperated the culture. Let me discuss on superstar culture and Ashwin.

I cannot comment on what happened before the 1980s but from the time I have been watching the game, the culture has been prevalent. Infact, there was a time within the team where juniors were expected to be subservient to the seniors. This was advocated by none other than Sanjay Manjrekar in his book. Now, when it comes from someone who has played the game at the highest level, we better listen. This despite the fact that the players from the 70s & 80s were hardly paid anything. They played the game just to satisfy their passion. Players from that era, also had a day job. Whenever they weren’t playing for the nation, they used to work in some company to earn a living.

The arrival of Sachin Tendulkar

All of that changed once the concept of liberalisation came into the picture. With increased exposure through television, every cricketer became household names throughout the nation. The arrival of one Sachin Tendulkar and his business relationship with Mark Mascarenhas, completely altered the thinking of the players. Here he was, signing endorsements left, right and centre. It will not be wrong to state that it was Sachin Tendulkar who showed the way to earn huge amount of money. Tendulkar arrival coincided with the television boom across the nation. Indians who were used to watching the game on some of the worst camera ever, suddenly were exposed to crystal clear pictures. The Doordarshan cameraman would usually search for the ball but now, the camera travels with the ball. All of these sort of increased the following for the game tremendously.

I remember the days when I used to wait for some glimpse of cricket from Australia because of the quality of the coverage. With the gate crashing of private cricket coverage, the renumeration of the players too increased. Indians who were glued to the radio, were now glued to the television. This not only increased the paycheque of the players but it also made the dearer to the masses who were now looking at their cricketers from close quarters.

I am not for once begrudging the money the players are making. Their career as sportsman is limited, extremely limited. It could be cut-short anytime as it happened to a Shane Bond or Bruce Reid or quite a few others. They have to earn a living for the future while they were still good enough to play. They have a family to take care of.

The present scenario

Having said all that, the present scenario is not at all idle. Infact, it has become toxic to say the least. This is where the likes of Ashwin who has expressed strong reservation about the superstar culture, must be taken forward by everyone concerned.

“It is important to normalise things in Indian cricket. We must not encourage this superstardom and super celebrities within the Indian cricket team,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel, ‘Ash Ki Baat’. “We must normalise all these things going forward..” Ashwin again, “We are cricketers. We are not actors or superstars.

Aswhin continued, “We are sportspersons, and we must be someone that the common people should resonate with, and can compare themselves with.” 

It is troubling to note that every current Indian cricketer is having a gathering of sycophants. Rohit Sharma’s fans making fun of Kohli and Kohlis’ fans ridiculing Rohit Sharma. Someone else’s fans trolling someone. I mean this is height of absurdity. I do not know whether the players themselves are party to this but judging from Kevin Pietersen’s book, where he describes how he was humiliated Twitter by a friend of Stuart Broad, these things are happening in the full knowledge of the said cricketers.

It is time the BCCI puts an end to all these nonsense. I know it is difficult to control social media but if any player is found to be part of such buffoons, they must be banned for life, however vital their contribution to the team maybe. Gautham Gambhir, the current Indian coach has made it his mission to end this culture and the focus shift to the team as a whole rather than individuals.

IPL and its riches

IPL has secured the future for quite a lot of cricketers but it has also, at the sametime, taken forward the superstar culture. The BCCI’s mindless decision of marquee players laid it on stone that these players are special and they can go about their business as they wish.

Wrapping up superstar culture and Ashwin

If a player no less than Ashwin, who was part of the team until a couple of months ago, calls for an end to this type of culture, we know that the rot is deeper. One can see a Kohli who despite years of non-performance, has trotted around as though he is still among the best in the world. He knows very well that he can never be dropped on performance and his brand value generates revenue. Ashwin is correct is saying what he said but will it happen? That is pun-intended, a million dollar question.

Ashwin’s autobiography

https://icricketcritique.com/ashwin-and-the-opening/
https://icricketcritique.com/it-was-all-on-the-streets/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-heartbreak-and-the-elation/
https://icricketcritique.com/ashwin-and-his-early-games/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-ashwin-autobiography-continuation/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-ashwin-autobiography-final-chapter
https://icricketcritique.com/ravichandran-ashwin-retires-one/
https://icricketcritique.com/ravichandran-ashwin-retires-two/