‘Why target Anushka Sharma if Virat Kohli doesn’t do well?’ – Harbhajan Singh on fans bringing cricketers’ families into criticism

Harbhajan-Singh,-Virat-Kohli-and-Anushka-Sharma. (Photo source: X)

Failures and criticism are part and parcels of a cricketer’s life. However, some deeply-involved fans go the distance to criticise and troll a player’s parents, partners or even children when they fail to perform in a game of cricket. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh was recently asked his views on the acts undertaken by such fans, and naturally, the off-spinner seemed to be in complete opposition of the same.

Harbhajan took the example of his former India teammate Virat Kohli on what his wife (previously girlfriend) Anushka Sharma has to go through whenever the star batter got out cheaply. According to the Punjab-born, such acts are cheap and should never be done by fans, as it does not account to criticism based on justifiable grounds, as players never intentionally play poor form of cricket.

“That’s so wrong. To all the fans and cricket lovers, I believe they are not like that. Agar Virat accha nahi kar rahe toh unke wife ko target karna (If Virat is not doing well, his wife is targeted). Kya hai ye? (What’s this?) Hum ek society mai rehte hai (We live in a society), we should understand a player wants to win the game whenever he walks onto the field,” Harbhajan urged the fans in a video on Instant Bollywood.

“Kabhi wo jeetega, kabhi wo haarega. Par wo prayaas karta hai ki wo accha khele. Agar kisi din wo accha nahi karta hai, toh aapko kisi tarah unke family to criticize nahi karna chaahiye. Player ko criticize karo ki mai accha nahi khel raha hoon (A player could win or lose a match. But he keeps on trying his or her best to perform well for the team. If a player does not perform well, fans must not criticize their family members. Of course, you could criticize the players for not doing well),” added Harbhajan.

Watch Harbhajan Singh’s statement here –

While the ex-India athlete believed criticism was fine as long as it was directed at the players, he felt that the family members must not be targeted at any cost, as neither they take the field, nor do they have anything to do with what a player does on a given day. He added that family members wish the entire team and all the players involved luck for every match.

“But don’t bring my family into it. They have not done anything. Neither they go on to the field. Wo sab ke liye accha wish karte hai – mere liye aur poore team ke liye. (They wish the best for players and the team). Why bring families into it?” the legendary Test cricketer highlighted.

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