Controversies... a sure way to sustain IPL interest, right?

Virat Kohlirsquos rant in response to talk of his strikerate in the commentary box surely did not go down well with Sunil Gavaskar recently And my first Test captain was justified in displaying his discontent over Star Sportsrsquos action replays of the reaction from the current Indian batting starAs expected the incident got highlighted in the media After all two cricket greats at their outspoken best make for a damn good spicy storyThe sad part is that a few unknowns born long after the legendary Gavaskar had hung his cricketing boots also jumped on the bandwagon of trolls their hunger for socalled glory satiated by their deplorable unwanted acidic comments against the cricket legendAll those trolling Gavaskar on social media and reacting in the media should not forget that past players were paid a pittance as a match fees but still kept the game alive Never should it be forgotten that presentday players are reaping the rewards for seeds sown by cricketers of the earlier generationThat aside I have observed a trend Ever since the IPL began right in the middle of the tournament when viewers get a bit tired of watching the T20 action controversies crop up almost like clockwork It works to reinvigorate following of the tournament It could be speculated whether this is a marketing strategy to sustain excitement around the IPL over the yearsBy the way wasnrsquot there a recent controversy concerning Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka when he appeared to be giving captain KL Rahul a spray post a heavy loss to Sunrisers the other nightAlso ReadBats balls and what notBack to Pundits v Players If a senior cricketer in the commentary box makes factually correct comments then the player being criticised should take it as constructive feedback and strive to improve his or her skills ensuring performances answer the criticism Instead players often overreact to protect their reputation and fan base regardless of whether the comments are personal issuebased or factually correct By reacting strongly they inadvertently fuel controversy just the tonic required to bring back the buzz for the tournament and ultimately boosting viewership and revenueI was so pleased to discover that Kohli batted splendidly against Punjab Kings for his 92 on Thursday The best way to answer your critics is with your batOn Sunday against Delhi Capitals he got 27 off 13Irsquom reminded of a conversation I had with reputed actor Pankaj Tripathi on a train journey from London to Glasgow while shooting 83 a few years ago In a profound statement Pankaj said aaj kal log churchchit honeko hi samarth samajhte hain meaning people nowadays equate controversy with successIn the good old days players had to fight their opponents and sports journalists were not bothered with what was happening outside the boundary rope In todays scenario players not only have to face their opponents on the field but also have to deal with the scrutiny from the media and its tentacles Healthy criticism sometimes sucks the player into an offfield game at play where tarnishing ones image can impact not only their fanfollowing but also their financial opportunitiesIn the 1970s and 1980s when journalists who hadnt played cricket critiqued players negatively players reacted by not granting those journalists interviews However when a former cricketer or a senior journalist criticised them it was usually taken as constructive leading players to introspect and improve their skill area or attitudeNowadays most TV commentators are retired players ranging from good to legendary If their criticism is valid it should be taken constructively not defensively Reacting emotionally to criticism whether personal or not only exacerbates the situation Players should use their performance on the field as the ultimate responseIts crucial to avoid getting caught up in ones narrative as Gavaskar pointed outIn the past players would respond positively to a legend If he was mistaken a respectful dialogue would follow However todays players seem more preoccupied with social media and financial gains often forgetting they function as role models for future generationsUnfortunately cricketers who played the game in the 1970s and 1980s are caught between two worlds Their generation didnt question elders but the next generation boldly challenge them without much considerationThe game is not the same in some ways Yet cricket has to move onFormer India swing bowler BS Sandhu was part of Indiarsquos victorious 1983 World Cup team