Senior players should mentor and guide youngsters, Sunil Gavaskar on the Pandya-Rahul controversy

"I have to mention that stardom is quite a tough thing to handle at the beginning of your career."

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KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya
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KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

India were touring down under and were supposed to take on New Zealand later that month when the infamous episode of the Koffee with Karan show aired on Hotstar, on January 6. After a historic win 2-1 victory in the four-match Test series, India were to play a three-match ODI series against the hosts, Australia. Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul were indefinitely banned by the BCCI with immediate effect with regard to the ‘misogynistic comments’ the pair made on Karan Johar’s show.

India subsequently won the ODI series by a margin of 2-1 and the team flew to New Zealand for a limited-overs tour. After the ban was lifted, it was decided that the Supreme Court will make further decisions on the issue and Hardik Pandya was incorporated into the squad for the final three ODIs against the Black Caps. In his comeback match at the Bay Oval, the 25-year-old impressed everyone with his solid all-round performance and justified his place in the Indian team.

Clocking back to the infamous episode of Karn Johar’s talk show, the guests on the day were young Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul. For an entire segment of the show, the two – especially Pandya- went into details of their late-night partying and sex lives. It’s needless to say, that the young cricketing duo had to face a lot of criticism following their crass comments.

Senior players should guide youngsters regarding how to handle fame, says Gavaskar

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that the widespread fan-following and popularity of the T20 format and its various leagues have led to the overflowing stardom of young cricketers. As positive as the stardom might seem it comes with various disadvantages. In order to regulate one’s discipline, the senior players should come forward and act as mentors to the young brigade.

“I have to mention that it (stardom) is quite a tough thing to handle at the beginning of your career… When you have to constantly improve your game and at the same time match up the expectation of the people as a celebrity or icon,” Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying by the media on Saturday. 

“The attention that you get outside, and then focusing on the game so that you can maintain the attention. That is why it is important that senior players should mentor and guide these youngsters who have already gone through that phase,” the 69-year-old added. 

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