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According to Sanjay Manjrekar, the Indian cricket team suffers the most during transition periods because of star culture in Indian cricket and hero worship of big players.
Sanjay Manjrekar blames hero worship for India’s slump in Test cricket. (Picture Credit: AP)
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar, who has now donned the hat of an expert and commentator, has blamed ‘hero worship of certain players’ for India’s poor slump in Test cricket. According to Manjrekar, India’s poor run in Test cricket is not new. In the past (2011-12), India also suffered such similar setbacks when it went down 0-4 against England and Australia in the away series.
In his latest column for Hindustan Times, Manjrekar, who was seen doing commentary in the recently concluded five-match Test series between India and Australia, wrote, “It’s a phenomenon that befalls Indian cricket every 11-12 years, when the Test team’s performance takes a nosedive. India lost 0-4 to England and 0-4 to Australia in 2011-12. Twelve years later they have gone down to New Zealand 0-3 at home, and now, they have lost 1-3 to Australia. If not for the rains in Brisbane, the scoreline would have most likely read 1-4 after Australia had taken an almost 200-run lead in the first innings.”
“This ‘generational slump’ is inevitable for all teams. It’s what we know as the transition phase, and among the best teams in the world, I believe it affects India the most. The one foremost reason behind this is the icon culture we have in India and the hero worship of certain players. Be it 2011-12 or now, it’s the same scenario that gets played out—iconic players featuring prominently doing the opposite of what they did their entire careers, thereby dragging the team down with their diminished performances,” he added.
According to Manjrekar, emotions run too high when it comes to taking calls on the future of big players, and those responsible for taking decisions (selectors) get influenced by it.
“Thing is, when it comes to the big players, we as a country are just not able to stay rational. Emotions run high, and those in positions to take decisions on these players are influenced by this climate. Cricketing logic goes out of the window, and then the selectors hope the player leaves on his own so that they don’t look like the villains who brutally ended the career of a great who millions of fans worship. They just fear the backlash.”
“If the player does not quit on his own, then Indian cricket has a problem. As a rule, our icons—barring very few—stay around too long, well past their prime, with their performances dropping to abysmal levels. In their heart, selectors and the administration know that they are essentially conforming to the sentiments of the masses,” he added.
