A major shift is quietly changing the way Indian cricket is followed and understood today. What once felt like a united wave of national support is now turning into a divided space and veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has brought this issue into the spotlight with his recent remarks.
Ashwin spoke about the rise of a culture where individual players are treated like larger-than-life icons and online narratives are carefully shaped to support them. In simple terms, the focus is moving away from the team and shifting toward specific players.
In the past, fans largely supported the Indian team as a whole. Greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were admired but always as part of the team’s identity. That sense of unity is no longer as strong. Today, fans often form groups centered around their favourite cricketers, creating separate “camps” within the same fan base.
This transformation has been driven by the growth of social media and tournaments like the Indian Premier League. Platforms such as X and Instagram allow players to connect directly with fans. While this has its advantages, it has also led to the rise of “brand athletes”, where a player’s image is carefully managed and promoted.
As a result, the conversation has changed. Instead of focusing on how India performed as a team, discussions often revolve around how a particular player performed. Personal milestones and records now get more attention than team victories, which reflects a growing individualisation of the sport.
Ashwin also pointed out that many of these online discussions are not natural. Behind the scenes, fan pages, insiders and even digital marketing teams often push specific narratives. This can include highlighting certain statistics to criticise another player or sharing selective clips to create controversy.
This trend has led to intense fan rivalries, especially among supporters of big names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. Even though these players may share mutual respect, their fan bases often compete aggressively. The mindset becomes simple, if one player rises, another must fall.
This creates a toxic environment where some fans even celebrate the failure of their own national players because they are seen as rivals to their favourite star. Such thinking weakens the idea of a unified national team and replaces it with competing groups of supporters.
The impact is not limited to social media. It also affects real decisions within the team. When a star player is dropped due to poor form or tactical reasons, the backlash online can be huge. Selectors and team management are often forced to deal with public pressure, where decisions are judged based on perceived bias rather than actual cricketing logic.
This culture also affects players themselves. When attention is focused only on big names like “The King” or “The Hitman”, the efforts of less glamorous players often go unnoticed. These are the players who quietly contribute to wins but rarely receive recognition.
Over time, this can influence young cricketers. Instead of focusing on their role in the team, they may feel the need to build a personal brand and chase superstar status for long-term success and financial stability.
Breaking away from this pattern will not be easy. It requires a change in how cricket is both promoted and consumed in India. Voices like that of Ashwin and head coach Gautam Gambhir are encouraging fans to look beyond social media narratives and focus on the bigger picture.
For India to achieve consistent success like teams such as Australia, which follow a strong team-first approach, the mindset of fans must evolve. Cricket needs to be seen as a team sport again, not a stage for individual storylines.
Only when these fan “camps” come together and support the team as one unit can Indian cricket truly return to prioritising collective success over individual fame.
What is your take on this matter? Do you agree with Ashwin?
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