Is sports reporting in India now limited to Virat Kohli's married life and its impact on his game?
To plan a private wedding in a country that hardly acknowledges, forget respects, the concept of privacy would have definitely proved more ambitious for Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli than scoring a double century in the limited-overs format. But life post-wedding too is going to come with its share of intense scrutiny for Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma.
This was proved sooner than the couple would have expected. During a press conference on December 27, before leaving the country for the South Africa tour, Kohli was asked about what it meant to miss out on the Sri Lanka-India cricket series. The Indian captain opted out of the series against Sri Lanka to get married to the Bollywood actor in a private (at least they attempted it) ceremony in Tuscany, Italy.
A candid Kohli said getting married was "something much more important" than being part of a series. This remark hasn't really gone down too well with many. After all, we are a bunch of sensitive people who care two hoots about the sensitivities of other people before putting them under the scanner. Still, the last it was checked, people in the country enjoyed a right to decide on their personal priorities.
Given the fact that we are part of a society based more on communities than individuals, having an opinion on what others should do, how they should behave, what they should wear, when and whom they marry is within our ambit of pontification.
"Which was much more important" - Virat Kohli"I am on National Duty" - MS Dhoni#SAvIND #AUSvIND
— Cric Stat (@Cric_Stat) December 27, 2017
अगर शादी क्रिकेट से ज़्यादा ज़रूरी है तो 2-3 शादियाँ और कर लो। हाँ पर वो करने के लिए आपको इस्लाम क़ुबूल करना होगा। आपका स्वागत है
— Abdul (@puncture__wala) December 27, 2017
This press conference is not the only brazen attempt to dig deeper into the lives of the newly-weds. An article in a newspaper discussed if Anushka would work after marriage, while another hailed the movie industry for "accepting" married women as actors.
Hindustan Times carried a report, "Virat Kohli's ICC T20 cricket ranking falls after wedding break". The report, which was actually only a listicle on the International Cricket Council ranking of players and teams, read: "Virat Kohli, who missed India's ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka due to his much-celebrated marriage with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, has dropped to third spot in ICC Rankings for batsmen in T20 International cricket."
Another report in the same newspaper asked, "Will marriage with Anushka Sharma cool down fiery Virat Kohli?" Such eye-catching headlines over the wedding of India's most-loved cricketer are a statement on us as people.
This shameless nose-poking comes with its share of consequences. Raising questions over Kohli's ability to perform right before an important tour is both careless and callous.
Kohli's men are kicking-off a tough patch away from home with the full series in South Africa starting January 5. This series will include three Tests, six ODIs and a T20I. South Africa is one country where India have failed to clinch any series across formats. It is only obvious then that the team is under pressure to break the jinx. It is irresponsible to try to engross the team and its proud captain in such frivolous and inconsequential questions.
But such questions are being asked and answers to them played on loop on TV channels through the day under the big, bold banners of breaking news because in this crazy news market of ours, drama and sensationalism are instant-relief items, even if they have limited shelf life.
A cricket player, much like any other sportsperson or common man, has the exclusive right to decide if and when he wants to get married. Working professionals also take breaks from their offices to get married. Kohli is a professional cricketer. Nobody can take away from him the right to take a break for marriage or whatever he deems fit to give time to. Kohli's statement, if anything, is worthy of praise for he did not shy away from speaking his mind.
Whether Kohli has lost form due to his three-week break from cricket or not will be seen when he pads up and takes to the crease in South Africa, but such questions and media speculations on the possible impact of married life on his game show journalists have lost touch with what actually sports reporting is and should be about.