Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir brought up the 2011 World Cup success debate once more, claiming that certain players’ PR makes them heroes while others must settle for the label of “underdogs”. The former Indian opener, known for his outspoken personality, stated that Yuvraj Singh, the 2011 World Cup Man of the Tournament, “doesn’t have a good PR agency.”
Yuvraj Singh, an Indian all-rounder, scored 362 runs and took 15 wickets in the 2011 World Cup. He received four ‘Player of the Match’ accolades in India’s World Cup winning campaign. Many believe that Southpaw did not get enough credit for his contribution to the Indian team over the years.
In an interview with ANI, Gautam Gambhir stated that Yuvraj did not receive the credit he deserved because he did not have a decent public relations firm. The former Indian opener also chastised ‘broadcasters’ for behaving as players’ PR agencies.
“You know it. You please tell me that one player Yuvraj Singh who was Man of the Tournament in 2011, how many people talk about him. Why? Probably he does not have a good PR agency.
“Probably this word ‘underrated’ is a very unfair word. It is actually under-shown, if you won’t show the people, then they won’t know and you keep showing one person, then he will become a brand,” Gautam Gambhir said.
Yuvraj Singh’s outstanding performance in the 2011 World Cup, in which he overcame health concerns to emerge as the tournament’s star player, will go down as one of the best moments in the cricketing history. His exceptional all-around abilities and resilience were critical to India’s World Cup after 28 years.
I Am Pleased About It That We Became A Bowling-obsessed Nation From Batting One – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir feels that if one person is exhibited all of the time while the others are under-shown, only one person will have all of the attention and the other will not receive the credit he deserves and was elated to see Indian bowlers Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj getting much-needed recognization for their bowling in the marquee event.
“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.
“Then don’t say that we do not get numbers when we show the other guy because the other guy is not a brand. When you did not show the other person, you did not value the other person,” Gautam Gambhir added.
“Unless you do not value the other person, he won’t value himself and how will the country value him. In this World Cup, one good thing happened and I am pleased about that we became a bowling-obsessed nation from batting one.
“Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj are getting appreciated for their hard work,” Gautam Gambhir concluded.
While Gambhir’s remark might be interpreted in several ways, it underscores the convoluted dynamics and personal perceptions that can continue long after players leave the field and speaks volumes about his contribution to Indian cricket being undervalued, according to him.
