Commentary Must Be About Cricket, Not Controversies: Rohit Sharma

India’s star batter and captain Rohit Sharma has strongly criticised Indian cricket commentators and the prevailing trends in sports journalism. Speaking recently on a podcast, Rohit Sharma alleged that certain commentators in the country operate with a specific agenda and are more focused on creating controversies than offering meaningful insights.

Rohit Sharma expressed dissatisfaction with the shift in commentary style, stating that essential news is being sidelined in favour of sensationalism aimed at generating views and likes. “Earlier, cricket commentary used to revolve around the game. But now the situation has changed. Sometimes when I watch matches on TV and listen to the commentators, it feels disheartening. The quality of journalism has deteriorated,” he said.

He claimed that in contrast to India, commentary in other countries is much more refined and of higher quality. Rohit Sharma also criticised the current lack of in-depth analysis and strategic discussion in commentary. He emphasised that fans are genuinely interested in understanding the game, not in hearing sensational or irrelevant content.

“Many fans are keen to learn about cricket. They don’t need masala from commentators. They want to understand why a player isn’t performing well, why he’s out of form, and what mistakes he’s making. Fans are not interested in the personal lives of players,” Rohit Sharma stated.

He further advised that it is inappropriate for commentators to single out a player and make remarks about their personal lives. Rohit Sharma underscored the importance of showing respect towards players. “There are times when we don’t perform well—criticise us then, that’s fair. But there is a proper way to do it. Criticism based on an agenda is unacceptable,” he concluded.