Rohit Sharma shocked the cricket world by announcing his retirement from Test cricket last Wednesday. Having played across formats for nearly two decades, Sharma is now hanging up his pads in Test and T20 cricket but will continue playing in ODIs. The Indian batting great amassed 19,700 runs across his illustrious international career. Despite millions of fans worldwide, Sharma has faced intense scrutiny. In a recent interview with a leading sports journalist, Sharma expressed his disappointment with India’s current state of cricket commentary. Sharma noted, When watching a match, our commentators say different things compared to Australia’s. I’m very disappointed by this.
He added, It seems like our commentators are just targeting one player. This is very frustrating.
To spice up broadcasts, India’s commentators are controversial. According to Sharma, commentary should focus on analyzing a player’s struggles. Instead, it dwells on personal matters, sparking controversies. The controversy was a sign of the disrespect for players, he added. Sharma said, People want to enjoy cricket, not sensationalism. These days, our commentary is all about adding spice and controversy. Cricket has a global following, and fans just want to know why a player’s form is off.
Respect for cricketers is a must
To Sharma, the answer lies in respecting cricketers’ opinions and personal boundaries. He emphasized, Just because someone has the right to speak doesn’t mean they can say anything.
According to Sharma, commentators should maintain a level of decorum and avoid overstepping. They should focus on analyzing a player’s struggles. Today, fans don’t want to know a player’s private life. The need of the hour is understanding where to draw boundaries. Players are putting their heart and soul into the game, after all. “Cricketers deserve our respect,” Sharma said.