Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will all be in action for Team India in the first ODI against Australia (Images via Getty Images) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri shed light on the challenges facing modern Indian cricketers off the field, saying that the country’s stars live under constant surveillance and have almost no privacy in their personal lives. In LiSTNR Sport’s Willow Talk podcast, Shastri reflected on how players like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and the current generation including Shubman Gill live as “public property” thanks to their fame and fan following. “You’ve seen it for generations – Sachin, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and modern guys too. I daresay Shubman Gill is heading down the same path where their cricketing life is their cricketing life – we see that. But their life outside it is so limited because what can they do? Where can they get privacy? How do these guys live a normal life?” Adam Peacock asked Shastri. According to the former coach, it is difficult for India players to live freely at home because of the constant public attention. “They don’t. They can’t – because they’re public property. That’s why you sometimes see them overseas at their best because they can walk the streets in Australia. They’ll be roughed up there too, but not to the extent they’re going through in India,” he added. Shastri recalled how even legends like Tendulkar and Dhoni had to find ways to escape the limelight. “Sachin used to drive his cars past midnight just to get out because he was stopped at every traffic light during the day. Same with the WC – he gets on his bike and goes wherever he wants. But it’s not easy, especially these days,” he said.
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The 63-year-old also highlighted how social media has exacerbated the lack of privacy for modern athletes. “The emphasis on players is much more than in our era because of all the social media. You get your phone right away, you start taking videos or photos — there’s no privacy. You’re public property, period,” he said. Shastri, who earlier hailed Kohli’s tireless work ethic and fitness standards, said that such dedication and discipline is what helps the team develop collectively. But off the field, he admitted, the burden of fame remains one of the biggest challenges for the Indian cricketer today.
