(Image source from: Ap7am.com)
India's revered spin-bowling icon Ravichandran Ashwin has made a notable confession, indicating that certain views appearing on social media via so-called "fan groups" might actually come from people within the cricket community. He referred to this phenomenon as a "disease," linking it to the rise of "superstar culture" within Indian cricket. Ashwin aligns himself with other notable figures, such as Sunil Gavaskar and the current men's team head coach Gautam Gambhir, who have spoken out against the growing prominence of this superstar mentality. He admitted that such stories are often created to enhance personal reputations, a strategy he does not disagree with. Nonetheless, Ashwin firmly stated that he draws the line when these tactics are used to belittle other cricketers.
“There’s a troubling trend happening right now. Many of the thoughts shared on social media through fan groups – I’ve encountered them before, directly. Sometimes, I’ve heard these same opinions during meals only to find them later appearing online under different names. That’s when you start to question: how is this possible? " Ashwin said at the Revsportz Conclave in Kolkata.
“I’m not claiming that players are behind these opinions, but it’s worrisome. Is there some sort of planning involved? I can’t say for sure, but it seems there’s an organized system at work. Nowadays, every player acts like a business owner, and pushing opinions publicly can boost their brand or improve public relations. I get that. However, criticizing another cricketer is something I would never consider," he continued. Ashwin believes that the impact of these stories has become so significant that the attention has diverted from the actual sport. Reflecting on his own experiences, he talked about analyzing the reasons behind the dismissals of India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, only to receive negative reactions from users who accused him of targeting one player. “How did we get to this point? We initiated narratives surrounding players. We created a hero culture that feels almost like a movie. Who even discusses cricket these days? Very few people truly focus on the game itself," Ashwin expressed.
“Not long ago, I posted a Twitter thread outlining the technical reasons for Shubman’s dismissals. For me, it’s always about the ‘what’ and the ‘why,’ never the ‘who.’ But it quickly turned into a debate – why pay attention only to Shubman and not to others? I questioned whether people even listen to what I say. The issue is that we have redirected the discussion away from the core of the game and made it about individual players," he remarked.
