A lot has been said about the involvement of sports personnel, particularly cricketers, in commercials. It is argued that our cricketers are playing for themselves and once they earn name they are more interested in working as models in commercials rather than playing cricket.
We Indians are, by far, craziest cricketing fans. Once our cricketing stars succeed, we speak of them as if they are walking gods, and once they fail they become our punching bags. As the stars have received our accolades they have to be prepared to receive our brickbats also.
It is natural for any business establishment to use the person in demand to further their interests hence blaming the business establishments may not be correct. It is because of the huge following the game of cricket has in our country, the cricketers are being treated as demi gods. It is also tragic that we do not treat other sporting personalities in the same way as we do our cricketers. This partisan attitude has encouraged the business establishments to run behind cricketers once they succeed.
Our cricketers also know that their success is short lived hence, like any other person, they also would like to earn maximum during their prime period. We have seen that many of our earlier cricketers had to undergo many hardship during there old age to make both ends meet. It is this context that our cricketers are fully justified in using there name and fame to earn for themselves.
Primarily it is our attitude which we have to change towards cricket and cricketers. Until and unless we treat these personnel also on par with other sporting personalities there is no justification in blaming cricketers for indulging in commercial ads. The best way to wean our cricketers away from the glare of neon lights is to stop using the brands endorsed by them.