Instant money and fame has spoilt Indian cricketers: Pataudi

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) Instant money and fame has spoilt
many Indian cricketers and BCCI should act as a guide to teach
them how to deal with these early temptations, says former
skipper Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.

Pataudi said barring a very few players, like Sachin
Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, easy money and fame has become
distractions for most cricketers, especially youngsters, and
affected their attitude towards the game.

"It (money and fame) has certainly distracted them. In
fact many of them and therefore they are not committed to the
extent they should be. The name and fame they are getting has
spoilt them and temptation is much more now than they were in
my time," Pataudi said.

Pataudi was, however, quick to add that it all depends on
the individual cricketer how they adjust to the fame and
fortune they earned from the game.

"I think all these depend on the individuals. Some are
carried away by the fame and fortune and some don't. Take the
example of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. They remained as
committed as when they started.

"There are one or two players whom I don't wish to name
who have been affected and lost out. They have failed to
adjust this new fame and fortune," Pataudi told Karan Thapar
in the 'Devil's Advocate' programme on CNN-IBN channel.

One of the most charismatic players of his era, Pataudi
said young cricketers need guidance from BCCI on how not to
get affected by instant name and money.

"When we talk about earning money and fame so early, BCCI
should look into this angle and have the kind of symposium to
teach people how to deal with this early fame and fortune and
visibility. That's the role of BCCI. If parents can't do it,
schools can't do it, BCCI should do it," Pataudi said.

"When you are young and from a humble background and you
suddenly ends up making a lot of money, how do you deal with
such kind of a situation? It's not easy for a young Indian
cricketer," he said.

Pataudi blamed outside pressure for the lack of mental
toughness among current cricketers and squarely blamed the
media for making them an instant celebrity by giving
unwarranted attention to them.

"It has a lot to do with outside pressure, especially
media visibility or the other kind of temptations. Some of
them are not that bad but then the players are not used to
that, especially instant money and fame," he said.

"They don't know what to do with the kind of attention,
kind of fame and fortune they have suddenly gathered in a very
short span of time especially when they are not use to it. It
(the attention) is bound to effect their concentration as they
become little flustered by all this," he added.

Asked whether the attitude and performance of Indian
cricketers would improve if people start paying less attention
towards them, Pataudi said, "I suspect yes. Don't be so
adoring and that too so quickly." PTI SHN
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