In the shifting sands of human existence, sport may be too insignificant an event to be equated with matters of life and death. Yet it consumes a major part of a fan’s life that leads him to minutely follow and scrutinise every move of his or her idol with a laser-like eye. Sporting greatness comes with a price and no matter how big a player, how stupendous the skills and how great the achievements may be, a player is not far from the inquisition, especially when those very skills that made them the unquestionable hero of the masses, are on the wane.
All of a sudden, there is the harsh realisation that they too may be subject to the same code that applies to human conduct, no matter what status you may have achieved in life. Ironically, the greater the player the harsher the scrutiny. The latest to join this long unending list is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The World Cup, most believed, was to be his swan song, regardless of how well he would perform.
The judgement on was he one of the culprits in India’s exit at the semifinal stage is still ambiguous. What is clear is that he is no longer the player he once was and there may be a near unanimity that it is time for him to move on in life, bid farewell to a sport which he has graced with endearing dignity.
Dhoni, it seems, has decided to stick on or not make his mind public. He has quietly moved away from the public glare and is now training with an army regiment he holds an honorary post with. According to reports he is training in Kashmir and could be doing patrol duty as well. A very laudable step, to be admired for its courage and commitment to the “ideals” he holds dear in his heart.
Kashmir is no ordinary place to be in, plagued by insurgency, public rebellion, terror killings, where no person’s safety is guaranteed, even if you are an army man. India’s most celebrated sportsman, whose face adorns many hoardings in Kashmir as well and has many admirers in the valley, will be out on the streets doing patrol duty, holding a gun and not a bat in his hand. The symbolism of the gun that kills and the bat that entertains, is not to be missed, but that is his choice. Many would say, ‘wow, what a brave man!’ A person who is going beyond sports, entering a larger complex world where he could be for India’s next generation, driven by the wheels of “nationalism,” a mass hero!
Unfortunately, real life is not like a sporting contest subject to definite rules and conditions. Now the terrain gets murky and motives are open to questioning. There is a cartoon that has almost gone viral on social media, where in one sketch Dhoni is shown patrolling with a gun in hand. The next sketch enlarges the field and shows a posse of army men surrounding Dhoni to protect him on his patrol duty.
Then there are reports, which refer to the Supreme Court judgement in the Amrapali builders case, that confirms that his wife Sakshi had a 25 per cent stake in a group company, Amrapali Mahi Developers Private Limited which is among 47 such companies that allegedly received home buyers funds diverted by the real estate group. This fact, apart from its legal ramifications, raises ethical questions and if the forensic audit report, on the basis of which the SC has made its observations, were to prove true, should Dhoni even continue to be an ambassador for the Indian Army?
Dhoni, like any other individual in a democratic country, has every right to pursue his ambitions and goals in life, but he has a duty first towards a sport which he played with great distinction. The Indian selectors, while announcing the team for the West Indies tour, were not sure what Dhoni’s future plans are. We are not sure whether he even took permission from the Board before he went on for army “training”.
He is more than welcome to enlarge his goal and widen his horizon as he shifts gears in life. But before he does that he should realise his chosen profession, from where he draws all his strength, image and fan following, is cricket and he is first accountable to those who govern this sport and the fans who worship him as an idol.