Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has shed light on the challenges faced by modern Indian cricketers off the field, saying that the country’s stars live under constant scrutiny and have little to no privacy in their personal lives. Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast on the LiSTNR Sport channel, Shastri reflected on how players like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and the current generation including Shubman Gill, live as “public property” because of their fame and fan following. “You’ve seen generations of this — Sachin, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and the modern guys as well. I dare say that Shubman Gill is heading down this same path, where their cricket life is their cricket life — we see that. But their life outside of it is so constricted, because what can they do? Where can they get privacy? How do these guys live normal lives?” asked Adam Peacock to Shastri. According to the former coach, India’s players find it difficult to live freely at home due to constant public attention. “They don’t. They can’t — because they’re public property. That’s why you see them at their best at times overseas, because they can walk on the streets in Australia. Even there they’ll be hassled, but not to the extent of what they go through in India,” he added. Shastri recalled how even legends like Tendulkar and Dhoni had to find ways to escape the spotlight. “Sachin would drive his cars after midnight just to get out, because during the day, at every traffic light, he’d be stopped. And the same with MS — he’ll get on his bike and head out where he wants to go. But it’s not easy, especially in this day and age,” he said.
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The 63-year-old also highlighted how social media has intensified the lack of privacy for modern athletes. “The spotlight on players is much more than in our era because of all the social media. You get your phone straight out, start taking videos or photos — there’s no privacy. You’re public property, period,” he said. Shastri, who earlier hailed Kohli’s relentless work ethic and fitness standards, said such dedication and discipline were what helped the team evolve collectively. But off the field, he admitted, the burden of fame remains one of the biggest challenges of being an Indian cricketer today.
