Social media has done wonders for many people, in their careers and in their lives. However, the darker side of it is very much, if not equally, harmful and toxic. Abuses, trolls, and criticism are thrown around very lightly and at the rate of knots on social media to renowned athletes, movie stars, politicians, etc.
From gangwars on the streets, there are now gangwars on social media among the fanbases. In Indian cricket, there are three massive fan bases: one of Virat Kohli, one of MS Dhoni and one of Rohit Sharma. (Thankfully, social media wasn’t so much active during the times of Tendulkar and Dravid and Ganguly.)
All three of the fanbases target each other daily, hourly, or perhaps on a minute basis. What’s worse is that they go beyond just cricket and stats. They attack each others’ families, give rape threats to the wives and daughters and sisters of the players – HAVE SOME SHAME, MORONS – and stoop to a new low every day.
While MS Dhoni is retired from international cricket and appears on the field for a two-month period during the IPL, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are regular India players. Both have had highs and lows in the past few years, and in their low times instead of supporting our own Indian players, these fanbases have trolled and mocked them.
Here’s why the fights and wars on social media between the fanbases of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should stop ASAP:
Unity among fans
First of all, being Indians, the fans should be united – except for the two-month IPL period, and even then, support to the opposition player should always be there. After all, Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, he’s still an India player first, and their form in the IPL will be vital for their success in international cricket as well.
It could get to the mental health of the players and their families
Recently, after a forgettable bowling performance by Tushar Deshpande in the Qualifier 1 against GT, he was trolled by many on social media. Frustrated by this, Deshpande gave one troller this reply.
This isn’t the most calm and gracious of a reply from Deshpande. But this is just one example where the abuses and horrible trolling on social media could get to players. And to think Deshpande is an uncapped youngster playing his first full IPL season.
Seasoned campaigners like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have to build a shield around themselves – a shield of family, good friends and colleagues – to keep them sane and away from the vile on social media everyday. But this is likely to affect the mental health of the players and their families as well.
Now, would you want to be the reason that someone’s mood is off? That someone’s wife or daughter feels upset and angry? No. Right? Then stop this ugly cycle of fights and trolling on social media.
Indian cricket has a legacy of a united dressing room
Unlike some of the Australian and English dressing rooms, where ego and individual stardom has affected relations between players, it has always been pleasing to see that stuff not get into Indian dressing room. Current of past, there have been only “reports”, many of which were just for rumor stuff, of strife among the Indian players, otherwise, with some of the biggest names in world cricket over the past three decades, Team India has been a happy, jovial place for players who have shared great bonds on and off the field.
Importantly, away from the social media, what Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have done well is always presented a formidable, united camaraderie, especially when one of them is going through a slump the other one has stood up for the other in the press conferences and on social media. It has always been good to see their families also getting along nicely. So when both the superstars of world cricket and happy in each other’s presence, why do a section of their fans want to attack each other and the cricketers?
