“A broadcaster cannot be a PR machinery’ – Gautam Gambhir lashes out on broadcasters for unequal screen time to players.

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir recently addressed the issue of cricket player recognition, using the 2011 World Cup as a case in point. Reflecting on the tournament, Gambhir highlighted the disparity in acknowledgment among players, citing Yuvraj Singh as an example.

Gambhir expressed his belief that receiving credit isn’t solely based on performance but is heavily influenced by how well achievements are presented. He criticized PR agencies and broadcasters for favoring certain players, emphasizing that deserving individuals, like Yuvraj Singh, often go unnoticed due to inadequate PR representation.

Gambhir on ANI podcast said “If today I have machinery and I have to pick two persons where I show one person for two hours and fifty minutes and the other person for 10 minutes only, then a person shown for 2 hours and 50 minutes will become a brand .”

“You know it. You please tell me that one player Yuvraj Singh who was Man of the Tournament in 2011, how many people talk about him. Why? Probably he does not have a good PR agency. Probably this word ‘underrated’ is a very unfair word. It is actually under-shown, if you won’t show the people, then they won’t know and you keep showing one person, then he will become a brand.”

Pointing out Yuvraj’s significant role as the ‘Man of the Tournament’ in 2011, Gambhir argued that players like him deserve equal attention. He underscored the need for all players to receive equitable screen time, ensuring that no one remains in the shadows and stressing the importance of recognizing contributions beyond the spotlight.

“A broadcaster can never be a PR machinery. The broadcaster needs to be fair to everyone sitting in the dressing room. If I have a machinery today, using which I show one of two players for 2 hours and 50 minutes and the other player for only 10 minutes out of 3 hours, whichever player is shown the longest will become the brand.”