Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir cautioned against overhyping Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double hundred in the second Test against England, emphasizing that excessive expectations can burden players and impede their natural game.
Jaiswal, playing only his sixth Test, delivered a stellar performance with a score of 209 off 290 balls, guiding India to a total of 396 all out on the second day in Visakhapatnam.
Gambhir, who himself achieved a Test double hundred in 2008 against Australia, congratulated Jaiswal on his accomplishment but urged restraint in amplifying praise. He highlighted the tendency, especially in the Indian media, to overemphasize achievements and burden players with unwarranted tags, leading to added pressure.
“I want to congratulate the youngster for his achievement but, more importantly, I want to tell everyone that let the young man play. We have seen in the past that in India we have a habit, especially the media, to overhype their achievements and give them tags and make them look like heroes,” said Gambhir.
“The pressure of expectation gets the better of them, and the players are not able to play their natural game. Let him grow and enjoy his cricket,” advised Gambhir during an interaction with PTI.
Acknowledging the struggles of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer in the ongoing Test series, Gambhir advocated patience for the underperforming players. Gill and Iyer, despite promising starts, have been unable to convert them into substantial totals in the second Test. Gambhir emphasized giving them time, considering their quality and past performances, reinforcing their place in the Indian team.
Gambhir also noted that Shreyas Iyer, currently the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, is set to benefit from Gambhir’s mentorship in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
