Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar unleashed a scathing attack on broadcaster Star Sports, his current employer for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) season. The criticism stemmed from Star Sports’ repeated airing of Virat Kohli’s explosive interview where he lashed out at critics questioning his strike rate.
Virat Kohli strike rate under scrutiny
Virat Kohli‘s strike rate, particularly against spin bowling, has been a major talking point as India gears up for the T20 World Cup. Critics, including former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, have even excluded Kohli from their ideal World Cup squads, sparking debate within the cricketing fraternity.
Kohli hits back, but Star Sports repeats rant
However, after a stellar knock of 70 not out in just 44 balls against Gujarat Titans, where he dominated the spinners with a strike rate of 179, Virat Kohli fired back at his critics. He stated, “all the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones who love talking about this stuff. But for me, it’s just about winning the game for the team.”
This interview became a focal point for Star Sports, with constant replays on their channels. This did not sit well with Sunil Gavaskar.
Sunil Gavaskar criticizes Star Sports
Ahead of RCB’s rematch with GT, a frustrated Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at Star Sports. He pointed out that by repeatedly airing Virat Kohli’s interview, they were essentially criticizing their own commentary team. “The critics are the commentators. Your Star Sports commentators are the ones from whom the questions are being asked,” he said.
Sunil Gavaskar further defended his own right to analyze Kohli’s performance, highlighting that his past criticisms were based on lower strike rates. He emphasized that commentators offer unbiased observations based on what they see in the game, and don’t have personal agendas against players.
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Call to Stop by Gavaskar
Taking a strong stance against Star Sports’ tactics, Gavaskar said, “Star Sports needs to understand that they have shown it enough times, everyone’s got the message. We commentators speak about what we see, and I would be very disappointed if Star Sports show this once more because that will be questioning all us commentators.”
Gavaskar’s criticism highlights a larger debate within cricket broadcasting: the balance between entertainment, player respect, and unbiased analysis.
