Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir recently discussed a subject that many of us are familiar with: player recognition. He gave the 2011 World Cup as an example, pointing out that while certain players rose to fame, others were still considered “underdogs.”
Gambhir cited Yuvraj Singh as a crucial member of the victorious team who, in his opinion, did not receive enough recognition. It’s not about how well you play, says Gambhir; it’s about how well you present your accomplishments. He criticized broadcasters for showing preference for certain players over others and laid the blame on PR firms.
“If today I have machinery and I have to pick two persons where I show one person for two hours and fifty minutes and the other person for 10 minutes only, then a person shown for 2 hours and 50 minutes will become a brand,” Gautam Gambhir said Smita Prakash in the ANI Podcast
Even though Yuvraj was named the 2011 “Man of the Tournament,” Gambhir contended that athletes like him are overlooked since they don’t have strong public relations campaigns.
“You’re aware of it. Would you kindly let me know how much talk there is regarding the player Yuvraj Singh, who won the 2011 Man of the Tournament award? Why? Likely, he lacks a reputable public relations firm. ‘Underrated’ is probably a fairly harsh term. It is truly under-shown; if you don’t show the public, they won’t know, and if you only show one individual, he will eventually turn into a brand,” he continued.
With yet another attack on broadcasters, Gambhir declared, “A broadcaster can never be a PR machinery.” Fairness toward each person seated in the dressing room is required of the broadcaster. In the event that I use some equipment today and display one of the two players for two hours and fifty minutes while showing the other player for just ten minutes over the course of three hours, the player who is shown the longest will be the brand.” Gambhir continued, emphasizing how crucial it is to provide each player with an equal amount of screen time so that nobody is left out in the cold.
During this World Cup, we became a bowling-mad nation. Gautam Gambhir
The reason behind Gambhir’s dissatisfaction is that certain players, particularly bowlers like Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj, don’t receive the credit they merit. He did, however, express his happiness that they at last got the recognition they earned during the just-finished World Cup.
“One positive development from this World Cup, which I am happy about, is that we turned into a bowling-mad nation right from the start of batting. Gambhir continued, “Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj are receiving recognition for their dedication.