After former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh had said that there was a lack of seniority in the Indian cricket team, former opener Gautam Gambhir echoed the same and said there was a dearth of role models in the Virat Kohli-led set-up.
“I agree with Yuvraj that there is a dearth of role models in the Indian team currently, like in the 2000s, we had Dravid, Kumble, Laxman, Sourav and Sachin to guide the team. It is important to have senior players around you who can help you when you’re going through a rough patch. Right now, I don’t think there are enough seniors in the Indian camp, who will set aside their self-interest to help youngsters,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected as quoted by IANS.
Earlier, during a video chat on Instagram with India limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj had said that there were not many players to look up to for a youngster in the national squad. He has blamed it on the rotational policy which makes a team field almost different playing elevens in Test and white-ball cricket.
“In this team, seniors are you (Rohit) and Virat (Kohli) who play all three formats. I just feel since social media has come, there are very less guys to look up to. That sense of respect for seniors…it has become a thin line,” said the southpaw.
“I just feel there are very fewer guys to look up to and I feel that a sense of respect towards seniors, that has become a thin line now. Koi bhee kisiko kuch bhee keh deta bhain (anyone can say anything to anyone,” added Yuvraj.
The 2011 World Cup Player of the Tournament also said that that today’s corp of young players are not bothered about the fact that they are the “ambassadors” of their nation and that during his time the cricketers had to carry certain behaviour for talking to people and media.
“There was a certain behaviour that we boys had to carry, how they talk to people, how they talk to media. Because they were the ambassadors of the game and India,” the 39-year-old said.