Former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri on Sunday questioned the need for a laser show during the drinks break in the India-West Indies clash at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
India vs West Indies: Scorecard | Highlighting
When the over ended and the scheduled break was taken, India were 53 for two in pursuit of 196. In truth, the hosts were on point as they lost Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan without much to contribute. It was a high-intensity contest where any lapse in concentration could prove costly.
Nevertheless, during the three-minute interval, the stadium lights dimmed and a laser show was performed, plunging the ground briefly into darkness. The spectacle lasted nearly three minutes and left Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav to adjust to the limelight again after play resumed.
Both Gavaskar and Shastri expressed concern that the sudden change in lighting conditions could disrupt the batsmen’s focus and vision.
“A laser show during a two-and-a-half or three-minute drink break is not easy for a batsman, or for anyone else,” Gavaskar said in a commentary.
“For your eyes to get used to the light, for you to regain the bright lights, you have darkness around you.”
Gavaskar asked if such entertainment was necessary during a global tournament.
“You have the laser thing. This is the World Cup. And you need that kind of entertainment for two and a half minutes?”
“In the IPL, it’s fine in the middle of the IPL. Not in the knockouts, but in the middle of the IPL, that’s fine. But at this point here, in the World Cup, do we need these laser shows in the middle of the drinks break, in the interval between drinks?”
Shastri echoed the sentiment and highlighted the impact on players’ concentration.
“And from the players’ point of view, it’s never easy to switch back on. It’s a serious thing.”
India eventually beat the West Indies by five wickets in their Super Eights, they will meet for a place in the semi-finals. They will now face England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.
Despite the win, the criticism from the two former captains underscored a larger point – that cricket should remain the focus of a tournament of this magnitude. The International Cricket Council would do well to ensure that such distractions are avoided in future high-stakes matches.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
02 March 2026 09:20 IST
