IND vs AUS: India Needs To Come Out Of Hero Worship - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir’s statements often make headlines, and he is once again in the news for speaking out against “hero worship” in Indian cricket. Stop idolizing Indian cricketers, said the former Indian opener.

Gambhir said that we should only talk about the team and not about people like Kapil Dev, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. At the same time, he urged the media to not look at one player and should focus on other performers as well.

Don’t Create Monsters In The Dressing Room. Only Monster Should Be Indian Cricket, Not An individual – Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir in the Idea Exchange with The Indian Express that on the day Virat Kohli scored his 71st century, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 5 wickets in the same match, but everyone was only talking about Virat Kohli.

“When Kohli got a 100 and there was this young guy from a small town of Meerut [Bhuvneshwar Kumar], who also managed to get five wickets, no one even bothered to speak about him. This was so unfortunate. I was the only one, during that commentary stint, who said that. He bowled four overs and got five wickets and I don’t think anyone knows about that.”

“But Kohli scores a 100 and there are celebrations everywhere in this country. India needs to come out of this hero worship. Whether it’s Indian cricket, whether it’s politics, whether it’s Delhi cricket. We have to stop worshipping heroes. The only thing that we need to worship is Indian cricket, or for that matter Delhi or India.”

This Culture Started With Kapil Dev: Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir feels that When India won the first World Cup, it was all about Kapil Dev. It was Dhoni when we won in 2007 and 2011. There are more than two or three stakeholders in Indian cricket. They don’t rule Indian cricket, they shouldn’t rule it.

“If you keep talking about one person day in and day out, it eventually becomes a brand. That is how it was in 1983. When India won the first World Cup, it was all about Kapil Dev.”

“When we won in 2007 and 2011, it was Dhoni. None of the players did. Nor did the BCCI. There are more than two or three people who are stakeholders of Indian cricket. They don’t rule Indian cricket, they should not be ruling Indian cricket. Indian cricket should be ruled by the 15 people sitting in that dressing room. Everyone has a contribution to make, “he added.

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