This incident occurred in the context of a broader discussion surrounding the recognition and rewards for athletes across different sports in India.
Recently, the Indian cricket team ended an 11-year drought by winning the ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados, defeating South Africa in the final.
Following this victory, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a substantial cash prize of Rs 125 crore to be distributed among the World Cup-winning team members. Furthermore, various state governments also declared cash rewards for the cricketers hailing from their respective states.
However, the decision by the Maharashtra government to award cash rewards specifically for their state cricketers drew criticism from prominent Indian badminton player Chirag Shetty. He highlighted the need to recognize and appreciate the achievements of athletes from other sports as well.
Echoing a similar sentiment, fellow shuttler Saina Nehwal expressed her concerns about the disproportionate attention and recognition that cricket receives compared to other sports in India.
“Everyone wants to know what Saina is doing, what wrestlers and boxers are doing, what Neeraj Chopra is doing. Everyone knows these sportspersons, because we have consistently performed and we have been on the newspapers. I did that, I feel it’s like a dream that I did it in India, where there isn’t even a sporting culture,” Saina told the Nikhil Simha podcast.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s deleted post
Reacting to Saina Nehwal’s comments, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, a 20-year-old batsman, posted a controversial remark on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) as he wrote, “Let’s see how she goes when Bumrah bowls 150k’s bumpers at her head.”
Raghuvanshi’s comment drew widespread criticism from fans and the broader sporting community. In response, the young cricketer deleted his post and issued an apology, acknowledging the immaturity of his remarks.
“I’m sorry everyone, I meant my remarks as a joke, looking back I think it was a really immature joke. I realize my mistake and I sincerely apologize,” the youngster penned.
