Cricketers enjoy massive popularity everywhere, including on social media these days. Some cricketers have legions of followers on their various social media handles. They are considered youth icons and role models so their conduct on and off the field should send out positive signals. However, at times, cricketers have been found guilty of crossing the line of what is considered acceptable in the public domain. So, today we will talk about the social media posts of cricketers that opened up pandora’s box.
Virat’s “Leave The Country” Remark
The former all-format skipper was never known to hold his punches while arguing with someone on the field or social media. In 2018, the then-captain of India needlessly created a controversy during the launch of his official app with a loose remark. While interacting with his fans on the newly launched platform, one of them said that he (the fan) prefers to watch Australian and English batsmen more than Indian batters. To this Kohli replied shockingly that in such a scenario he (the fan) should not be living in the country and reside elsewhere. Kohli, later on, apologized for the same and deleted the post but the damage was done. With 211 million followers on Instagram and 49 million followers on Facebook, the choice of words could not have been more inappropriate. Being one of the most-loved cricketers in the Asian continent, Kohli can use his tongue to promote noble causes than foment trouble.
Ishant Making Fun Of Sammy’s Complexion
Delhi Pacer Ishant Sharma posted an innocuous picture of him as well as his IPL teammates of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Darren Sammy and Dale Steyn, in 2014 with an innocent caption, “Me, Bhuvi, “Kalu” and Gun sunrisers”. However, when racism reared its ugly head in cricket a few years later, Ishant’s post came under a lot of fire for using the Hindi word to address Sammy. Things got even worse when West Indian alleged that he was a victim of racism during his stint with SRH. However, Ishant made it clear later on that he never intended to hurt anyone with the post and the so-called word was used in jest. This incident yet again proved that celebrities should be careful about what they post as their casual or funny remarks can sometimes be taken out of context.
Buttler & Morgan’s Awful Posts
Two of the most celebrated batters in the English lineup have, unfortunately, displayed their insensitive side on social media once. Jose Buttler and Eoin Morgan had once poked fun at the English-speaking skills of some of their Indian teammates in the IPL franchise on their social media handles. This was not at all appreciated by the “netizens” who asked them to shed their “colonial baggage”. Things did not stop there also as some Indian fans who objected to the posts of English cricketers also faced ridicule for their proficiency in English. The moral of the story is that language is basically a tool for communication, and that is about it. And public figures should not be indulging in mud-slinging acts in digital arenas and instigating people unnecessarily.
