India's struggle on cricket field raises credible doubt over future: Has glamour taken over sportsmanship?

India were seen looking lifeless on the battlefield as Australia rightfully celebrated on their home soil, Sydney. It seemed as if an inexperienced group of cricketers had randomly thronged to the field, attempting to compete against players who had, in contrast, worked tirelessly to present the world with a marvel of a game.

The Indian squad, on January 5, disappointed its expectant fans, leaving them questioning the credibility of the cricket team. Even more disheartening was the fact that India was knocked out of the race for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test.

With cricket fans outnumbering lovers of any other sport in the country, India faced a reality check in Sydney as their failure on Day 3 of the fifth and final BGT Test loomed over Australian soil.

Not only did India lose the series, the country - otherwise renowned for its excellent cricketing prowess - was also left behind in the rice to the World Test Championship final. 

The cheers however, sang laurels of pacer Jasprit Bumrah, with Yashaswi Jaiswal receiving appreciation, while powerful, fell short in comparison. Bumrah undeniably claimed the title of "Player of the Series," a recognition well-deserved for his outstanding performance.

23-year-old young Yashaswi Jaiswal shone brightly on his maiden international Test tour of Australia, scoring the most runs. 

Interestingly, the two big names – 'claimed to be big' – once again proved why fans should admire their celebrity status but not expect any sort of sportsmanship from them. Quite an irony! 

But, it is true - Virat Kohli moving to London with wife Anushka Sharma and two kids made most of the news, while as for Rohit Sharma, all news surfacing about him is either how he ran away from the Sydney Test or why he should retire. 

But it is true – Virat Kohli’s move to London with wife Anushka Sharma and their two kids dominated the headlines, while for Rohit Sharma, the news surrounding him is either about his exit from the Sydney Test or discussions on why he should retire. The contrast is seemingly glaring - one cannot help but notice the difference in public perception and media attention for these two cricketing giants.

While media attention on the glamorous lifestyle of some cricketers has, perhaps, overshadowed their primary motive – sportsmanship – some cricketers are desperately doing their bit to make a mark.

Uncertainty continues to loom over the future of cricket, particularly Test cricket, but an even deeper uncertainty surrounds the future of Rohit and Virat – the duo that once ruled the cricket field.

Embarrassing to mention that India had also tasted defeat in the recently-held Boxing Day Test, courtesy of Aussies. An even deeper irony awaits here - Rohit Sharma had injured his knee back then. 

An earlier Test series against New Zealand also had the Indian cricketers hiding faces amid a disheartening home series defeat in Mumbai. India had slipped to the second place in the World Test Championship standings. 

It is quite disheartening to see that the charm Indians once held on the cricket field is slowly and steadily slipping from their grasp. Has glam really taken over?