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Why should Gavaskar be abused for voicing his opinion?

May 6, 2024
Boria Majumdar
Image: IPL/BCCI

The legendary Sunil Gavaskar raised a question, with more than 16 years of service for India and 10,000 Test runs behind him. Clearly, a question is justified. Now, it could well be that the question has a rebuttal. For a modern-day great like Virat Kohli, a rebuttal is fair. It is a debate between two legends, and perfectly fine up to this point. But then, there is social media. All of a sudden, there are millions of trolls who jump in.

Who the hell is Gavaskar to question Kohli? How can Gavaskar do this? This is where things go off-track. Every human being can be questioned, and that’s why this is a democracy. As a commentator, Gavaskar has every right to voice his opinion, as does Kohli to put across his point of view. But for these millions of toxic trolls who spew venom, a fair debate is anathema. They won’t allow proper free speech and the moment their icon is questioned, abuse will be hurled. I have seen it for two years, and now it is being played out in a different garb. 

I am not taking a position here. I am not getting into who is right and who is wrong. Frankly, there is no right or wrong. Gavaskar has given his opinion, and so has Kohli. Had the matter ended there, it was absolutely fine. But, no. Social media and the millions of attack dogs won’t let Gavaskar be. So what if he is Sunil Gavaskar? How dare he is the bigger question. You need to toe the line, no questions asked.

Does Kohli even know or has an inkling of this? I don’t think so, for the Virat I know isn’t like this at all. But behind his back, there is a whole world where he reigns. Without even knowing the extent of it, he has become the subject of social-media worship which spares no one if a word is uttered against him. Gavaskar, who gave Indian cricket teeth and muscle, is the latest example. A healthy debate has turned sour, and that’s the real curse of a social media age.

Gavaskar’s contribution to Indian cricket has been questioned, and some have even raised the question of his strike-rate as a batter? Really? But then, who are we to question when he can’t? Because, if you do, the troll army will unleash itself on you. And I know this all too well, having faced millions of them for two years and hearing the choicest abuse hurled at my family. 

And before anyone says why aren’t you mentioning Rohit here, let me say this is about all modern-day icons. They are like touch-me-not plants. If you can praise them and only do that, you are doing a fine job. But the moment you show the temerity to question them, you are way out of line. They are Gods, and don’t make mistakes. Who will tell these trolls that their Gods are men of flesh and blood and can indeed be questioned? Gavaskar, in this case, was just doing his duty. As a commentator, it is his job to call the game as he sees it. It is fine for Kohli to come up with a rebuttal. But to then use his comments to troll and abuse Gavaskar for hours exposes the deep malaise that I have been speaking about. 

 

Let me say one thing very clearly – Kohli the batter has been excellent this IPL. Except the one game that Gavaskar spoke about, he has looked good in almost every match. In fact, of all the batters picked for the World Cup, he is the one who has looked the best. When we can say this, it is appreciated by the troll army. So, why can’t Gavaskar say that a strike-rate of 118 was perhaps not the best?

There is a sense of entitlement here. The athlete, as Pullela Gopichand has recently written, is always right. Be it the mentor, coach, journalist or commentator – or even a legend like Gavaskar – the moment you question the athlete, you are on the wrong side. 

This is the truth of our times and, may I say, a very dangerous one. While abusing Gavaskar, none of these trolls have thought about his contribution to the game, or that he was one of the greatest to play for India. For them, it is just: how dare he? I shudder to think where this will go, and to what extent the toxicity will continue. I lost two years of my career at the altar of a social media trial, and am very well aware what it can do to someone’s mental health.

Maybe that’s why it is good that Mr Gavaskar is actually going to be away for five days, attending a wedding in Greece. Before anyone says he has been benched, let me say that he will be back in the commentary box next Sunday in Chennai. And I hope he will be back in the exact same avatar that we have always seen and loved. And if his comments, or anyone else’s, push Kohli to perform better and excel, that can only help Indian cricket. The trolls will not stop the vitriol, for that’s all they know. It matters not a jot to them that they are only harming Indian cricket and disrespecting one of its greatest icons.