Md Shami and Virat Kohli are brilliant cricketers who were at the top of their form and totally unstoppable last night. We must fete and applaud them and their performance. And we must feel horrible if we ever doubted them based on any non-cricketing criteria we applied to our judgement of their cricketing skills or commitment to win.
That said, and I know I’m going to get a lot of flak for this (but this has to be said), it does not mean they are perfect, or even really good humans. It does not make them experts on any other subject except the one they have proven (world-class) capabilities in. It does not mean they are ideals or idols when it comes to dietary or medical advice, or authorities on financial or relationship matters, or experts in spirituality or theology, or that their word counts in deciding India’s foreign policy, or their politics is on the right side of history, or that they are to be trusted about literally anything else but the very narrow, very specific skill they are publicly proficient in.
This is not to say that they are not good people or know nothing but cricket. Of course, they may well be right in some cases where they have given great thought and conducted deep study in that particular matter, or have very personal experience in something, or when they are right about it intuitively and/or accidentally. Like any of us.
They may also be wonderful humans and loving partners, friends, parents, or leaders. I am not saying they are not. Just that we do not know that for sure. We only see a very very small sliver of that side of their lives. What we do know, though, is that Shami and Kohli are perhaps the world’s best fast bowler and batter in cricket. As at the time this goes to press. And no further.
So, while we can, and must, celebrate their prowess with the ball & bat on 22 yards of packed soil in a cricketing arena, we really should be circumspect about taking their word on anything else, or absolving them of any other sin or crime they may have been accused of independent of their performance on the field.
And this applies to every situation, every celebrity, every profession, every issue, and every public persona. Let us not conflate someone’s proficiency in one small slice of life with authority or the last word on anything else but that specific skill. We really should stop naively worshipping heroes in any other areas except the ones in which they have demonstrated heroism. That way only lies embarrassment. And stupidity. A little restraint goes a long way.
P.S.: Yes, Shami was targeted for his Muslim identity. Yes, Virat stood by him (so did, people forget, Rahul Gandhi, but that’s beside the point). Yes, Virat seems like a great husband and loving partner. Yes, Virat has been heckled too for reasons beyond his cricket. Yes, Shami’s wife seems to have made some wild allegations. Yes, they’ve both worked hard. Yes, there were a handful who kept their faith in them. Yes, they redeemed themselves on the field. Yes, we are allowed an occasional irrational cheer and the feeling of joy without having to go deep into the whole emotion and analyse every feeling. Yes. Yes. And yes. I agree. All I am doing is cautioning us from going overboard. It is one thing to jump about shouting in exhilaration, and another to jump off a cliff hyperventilating in happiness. Everything in moderation. Please.
Beautifully written..