Sanjay Manjrekar criticizes India's 'hero worship culture' in cricket
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar, has slammed the country's "icon culture" and "hero worship" in cricket. He thinks these things make it difficult for the team to cope during transition phases. This criticism comes as the Indian Cricket Team gears up for a major transition, just like the one it faced back in 2011-12. Manjrekar's comments come after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's dismal show in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Iconic influence
Manjrekar highlights impact of iconic players on team performance
Manjrekar was worried about how iconic players affect the team as a whole. He said these players tend to play beyond their prime, affecting the team's fortunes. "This 'generational slump' is inevitable for all teams," Manjrekar wrote in Hindustan Times. He added, "It's what we know as the transition phase and among the best teams in the world, I believe it affects India the most."
Emotional bias
Emotions and decision-making in cricket
Manjrekar also emphasized the emotional bias that often clouds decision-making in Indian cricket. He observed that selectors are reluctant to drop senior players fearing backlash from fans. "Thing is, when it comes to the big players, we as a country are just not able to stay rational," he wrote. "Emotions run high and those in positions to take decisions on these players are influenced by this climate."
Overstaying icons
Manjrekar criticizes tendency of iconic players to overstay
Manjrekar also slammed the habit of iconic players to continue playing even when they are on the decline. He said these players tend to overstay in the team, resulting in poor performances. "As a rule, our icons—barring very few—stay around too long well past their prime with their performances dropping to abysmal levels," he wrote.