New Delhi. Indian cricket has a celebrity culture, which sometimes hurts. Not so in Australia. That is why they often overtake us. This is said by India’s veteran all-rounder Irfan Pathan. When asked a question related to Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, he mentioned celebrity culture, which is linked to the IPL and Mumbai Indians.
How should coach Rahul Dravid handle the Rohit Sharma-Hardik Pandya issue ahead of the T20 World Cup? When this question came up in a Cricinfo show, Irfan Pathan said, ‘There is no celebrity culture in Australia. Fortunately or unfortunately it is in India. In fact, I wish there was a balance between India and Australia regarding this culture. Often this celebrity culture does us no good. But we are Indians, not Australians. We Indians have a different feeling. Moral values are different. The mentality is also different.
Giving his answer on the Rohit-Hardik issue, Irfan Pathan says, ‘I think Hardik Pandya will play an important role in the T20 World Cup. Keep in mind that there are only three specialist bowlers in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup. Hardik is going to play the role of the fourth bowler. If they perform well, India will be allowed to have an extra spinner in the squad, which will prove vital on the American pitches. India has to play a match in America during the day. There will be no fog during the day and spinners will be able to take advantage of it.
After this, Irfan Pathan took forward the question of Rohit-Hardik and gave the example of Greg Chappell. He says, ‘Greg Chappell’s aggressive style backfired. He wanted to bring Australian culture to the Indian team, without celebrity status for anyone. But Champal could not do this and finally had to resign as coach. While there was no flaw in the chapel’s intentions. He wanted to take the Indian team forward. But they could not find the right way.
Tags: Hardik Pandya, Indian Cricket Team, Irfan Pathan, Rohit Sharma, T20 World Cup, Team India
First published: June 3, 2024, 08:15 IST