No Player Is Bigger Than The Game: Mohinder Amarnath Raises Concerns Over Indian Cricket’s Direction

In an exclusive interaction with ETV Bharat, Mohinder Amarnath displayed concerns over direction in which Indian cricket is heading and took swipes at some players.

New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup hero Mohinder Amarnath has raised his concerns over the direction in which Indian cricket heading, stating that while changes are necessary, they should contribute positively to the game.

Amarnath also noted that Men in Blue's dominance at home is often aided by favourable pitch conditions, which he believes go against the traditional spirit of cricket. "Team India performs well on home grounds because the conditions favour them, which is not right in the traditional form of cricket," Mohinder Amarnath said in an exclusive interaction with ETV Bharat.

He also expressed concern over the increasing frequency of Test matches ending in under three days. "Earlier, Test matches used to be completed in five days, but now matches are ending in 2.5 to 3 days, which is not good for the game and the fans either,” Amarnath stated expressing the need for sporting wickets that challenge both batters and bowlers.

Amarnath linked India’s struggles in the World Test Championship (WTC) to the growing influence of T20 cricket. "The mindset of the players in the shorter formats has become such that in white-ball cricket on small grounds, players try to avoid the bowler instead of taking wickets," he explained. He warned that prioritizing entertainment over skill-based cricket could harm Indian cricket in the long run.

He also took a swipe at some players for their attitude, saying, "Some players have started thinking that they are bigger than the game, and this mindset should change."

Stretching the point related to the significance of first-class cricket, Amarnath criticized players who skip domestic tournaments. "If a player cannot represent his state, then it is a big drawback for his cricket journey. If you are a professional player, then you should not have any excuse and you should also play first-class cricket," he stated.

He reiterated that no player is bigger than the game and that commitment to domestic cricket is crucial for national success.

Amarnath, who had famously called the Indian selectors "jokers" in the past, cleared his stance on accountability in selection. "If someone is a big player, then his work is not questioned, but questions are justified when it is seen that a person is sitting on the throne without any achievement," he said, indirectly pointing towards the need for a performance-based selection system.