Intriguingly, this "report" was leaked just before Viru was set to play his first match after his comeback and that itself gives rise to many questions (which, of course, is not my job to raise).

However, the situation took me back to the day before I made my debut for India in October 2003. I got a call from an inquisitive (and well known) journalist, ostensibly to ask about my plans for the Kiwis but matters quickly went another way. He soon reminded me of a couple of balls I had nicked in the side game prior to the Test and how lucky I was to find no third or fourth slip in place. He went on to tell me about an inside edge that missed the stumps narrowly and how I was seen to be uncomfortable against the Kiwi attack.

He must have watched the tour game very closely indeed as he detected a flaw in my forward defence too (and told me in detail). Finally, when I put the phone down, I was in a daze and left wondering if there was anything right at all about my batting and technique. I had scored runs against the same opposition in the two warm-up games while playing for the Board President's XI and India A but that conversation scared me more than actually facing Daniel Vettori and the others.

And it was not an isolated incident. On the eve of our first Test in Australia, later that year, a senior, renowned cricket journalist took the time out to explain to me why I had neither the technique nor the temperament to face the Aussies at the Gabba!

I'm certain every cricketer who's played for the country has encountered similar situations. I haven't spoken to Viru about this but I'm sure he's been bombarded by calls and text messages in the past few days. I'm also sure a lot of people trying to get in touch with him were not ill-intentioned and were merely trying to put forward his case but does he need all that attention before a hugely important game?

His focus should be on the game but is it really possible to not only switch off your cell phone but also switch off mentally and turn a deaf ear to whatever is happening around? If he manages to get runs in the next game, it will be dubbed a timely return to form ahead of the World Cup but, if he fails, no one will spare a moment of thought in sympathy for the man.

Players are humans (though many believe they aren't) and are as affected by the environment around them, especially if they're in a fragile state of mind, as most other people. There's more than enough on your plate during these times (regarding your form and self-belief) and any add-ons are disruptive. But who's listening?

On the eve of our first Test in Australia, later that year, a senior, renowned cricket journalist took the time out to explain to me why I had neither the technique nor the temperament to face the Aussies at the Gabba

Before I'm attacked for being anti-media, let me quickly say I'm not. I think the media of today does a great job in highlighting domestic performances and bringing deserving players into the national reckoning. Look at how Robin Uthappa was rewarded for his outstanding first-class season and is now a new sensation. Or the way Ranadeb Bose has figured on every news channel after taking his team to the Ranji finals.

This wasn't the first time a player had scored in excess of 1000 runs or taken 57 wickets in a season. A few years ago, Tamil Nadu's Sridharan Sriram scored more than 1200 runs in 12 games, Dinesh Mongia totalled more than 1000 in 11 while I managed to cross the 900-run mark (in 9 and 11 matches respectively) in two consecutive seasons.

Similarly, Narendra Hirwani, the former India legspinner, took 79 wickets in 2002-03; the same season Sairaj Bahutule, another former India leggie, took 62 wickets. But did anyone really know anything about it then? The answer is no, simply because the kind of interest you see in domestic cricket now was absent a couple of years ago.

This has happened because purely because of the media, thanks to whom people across the country now know in advance who's next in line for an India cap, instead of knowing people only when they wear one.

The added pressure is the flip side of the publicity. So not only do you have to develop a skin thick enough to face verbal assaults (read: sledging) from the opposition but also to prevent whatever is written or said about you in the media to get to you. Or, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, the nickel you have won't be worth a dime.

Good Article.Well Structured,Analytical and makes a good reading

Well said Akash, and very nicely articulated. Here's hoping that some 'wise men' actually take some time to read and reflect on this too.

Wow!
Akash Chopra can write too! Good article and point well made.

Akash is a natural as a cricket writer. I have followed his work in hindustan times (It is my way of making up for never havng seen him bat). He usually has a story to tell and does so quite well. I totally agree with him. The media goes completely overboard with cricket news and is a destabilizing factor.
Lets take the case of Cricinfo, they have fantastic editorials,stats,viewpoints,experts and it is easily the best cricket website. However, they feel the need to put out analytical essays of Sehwag and Ganguly's nets practise. They feel the need to get Niranjan Shah /Lalit Modi to say something provocative( Please refer Siddartha vaidyanthan/Anand Vasu's articles archives). That's peer pressure! The rest of the indian media is doing it anyway.
Should Rahul dravid have to answer questions about about some unknown manager before an important match?
Is it important if the BCCI wants him to explain his explanation?
Is all well within the team?
If not can we do something to make the situation worse?
Before these questions are answered the media will be running after shilpa shetty to find out how celebrity big brother cleansed her soul and made her a champion human being and the circus will roll on.

Its only a miracle that indian cricketers open restaurants instead of mental asylums !

shouldnt it be the dime that you have wont be worth a nickel...................

I think this is a very good article, giving a player's perspective of the media. Aakash also has rightly acknowledged the importance of media in today's world. I am sure even Sachin or Dravid havent been spared by the media with their barrage of advices on their respective techniques. The biggest question to be answered is how different players react to these media critics and whether they allow it get their heads.

a gud one from a player's perspective..but with so much passion for the game these things are part and parcel of the game .any way getting to advice a player that his technique is not correct or his attitude is not correct can be easily said from the press box and its easy for a person who has never stood on a field with 50,000 people shouting for u or 1 billion people watching you..everything has to has its limits and also hope the medial learns to draw its line...gud luck veeru and akash

excellent.i believe perception is better than any theory, however profound.aakash gives us a glimpse of what happens off the field with players .an excellent article from the player's perspective. loved it.hope he continues in the same vein.its a major challenge to drop the pressure and stress on entering the field.an excellent case in point is sehwag.