Rohit Sharma is one of the most popular cricketers, but even he has faced criticism from experts, former players, and the media. As India’s ODI captain, he has been involved in a few heated press conferences since becoming skipper.
Rohit Sharma Reflects on Changes in Modern-Day Cricket
Now in the later stage of his career, the 38-year-old shared his thoughts on how the game has changed. In a recent interview, he said that today’s cricket is more about drama and entertainment (“masala”) than the sport itself (“pure cricket”).
In an interview with journalist Vimal Kumar, Rohit Sharma spoke about his disappointment with the kind of cricket commentary in India. He compared it to Australia and said that Indian commentary often seems focused on targeting individual players instead of offering real insights.
“We see everything, we talk to each other. Sometimes when we are watching the match on TV, the kind of things commentators talk about is much different from the kind of commentary you see in Australia. Here, it is so disappointing. I am being very honest. It seems like they just want to target a player and speak about him. This is very disappointing,” Rohit said.
The veteran cricketer, who recently stepped away from Test cricket, said it’s okay to criticize poor form, but commentators need to know where to draw the line and stay respectful.
“There are a lot of people who love the game. They don’t want ‘masala’, they want to watch cricket. In today’s times, we put a lot of masala in the game. There are cricket lovers too who want to know more about the game, and understand why a player’s form is bad. They don’t want to hear about personal stuff. Just because you have the right to speak, doesn’t mean you’ll say anything. Respect the players. I even said at a few places that everyone who has been part of these World Cups deserves great respect. It’s not a joke to win 23 out of 24 matches, no matter how it happened,” Rohit explained.
Rohit Slams Agenda-Driven Commentary in India
Rohit Sharma also pointed out that some criticism today is driven more by hidden agendas than by real performance reviews.
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“Yes, there have been things where it has gone out of our hands. We didn’t do well in some instances, where we deserve criticism. No problem. We lost to New Zealand at home, we deserve criticism. But there’s a way to criticize someone. Today, agenda-driven criticism is being done here. It is not so likable,” he added.
Rohit Sharma also mentioned that he doesn’t feel the need to defend himself when criticized. Instead, he said that he prefers to focus on what he does best – attacking.
“To handle criticism is important in a sportsperson’s life. I understand that. But, it’s unnecessary criticism that I am against. Such things weren’t needed. I see people say a lot about me, some say that I get out to left-arm seamers. If I go out defending that, I’ll do a lot of things wrong. My time is very precious, don’t want to waste my time defending myself. Attacking is what my work is. It’s better to show what you want to on the field, not outside,”
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