Harbhajan Singh Urges India to Move Beyond 'Star Culture'

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh calls for India to abandon its focus on star players, urging the selection of players based on performance following recent cricketing struggles. Highlighting a potential rift within the team, he emphasizes the need for consistency as India prepares for its upcoming England tour.

Former cricket sensation Harbhajan Singh has called for India to break free from its longstanding 'star culture', suggesting the team's fixation on big names might be hindering its progress. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Singh questioned the team's evident decline since their T20 World Cup victory in Barbados last year.

Following the expiration of Rahul Dravid's contract, Gautam Gambhir has taken charge, seeking to rejuvenate the squad. While India's performance in T20 cricket remains commendable, they've struggled in the ODI and Test formats. They faced a notable defeat in Sri Lanka but managed a Test series win against Bangladesh. However, inconsistency has been a persistent challenge in recent red-ball games.

India's recent track record in Tests is concerning, with six losses, and only one win and one draw in the past eight matches. A historic home Test series defeat against New Zealand and Australia's reclaiming of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy underscore these struggles. Rumors hint at internal discord, with Singh alluding to team issues post-Dravid era.

The impending England tour poses significant challenges, especially with key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma nearing the twilight of their careers. Singh stresses an urgent need for a revamped selection policy, advocating for merit over reputation to ensure better results.

He criticized the sidelining of consistent performers like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Ahmed, urging they be given opportunities to prove their worth on future tours. As India anticipates the England challenge, Singh hopes for a shift towards a performance-based selection, leaving behind the superstar narrative from the past.

(With inputs from agencies.)