Call me by my name

An informality has crept into cricket commentary, which is not to everyone’s liking. During the ongoing IPL matches, one hears commentators refer to players very casually using their pet names. That’s not being professional.

“I can’t imagine Richie Benaud addressing players as Tendlya, Jimmy, Dada, Punter, etc. That’s the difference between mediocrity and excellence,” says former First Class cricketer Shishir Hattangadi, who played 60 FC matches. He even messaged one of the commentators and expressed his view. “It looks like you want to amplify familiarity, and it doesn’t interest the viewers,” he told the commentator.  

“The role of a commentator, by and large, is to give a pictorial description of the game and what is happening on the field of play. In the good old days, the radio commentators made you visualise the game with words. In today’s situation, the quantum of spoken words ought to be less because what is being said is visually seen on television,” he said, adding, “The proximity that one might want to show to players by using nicknames or pet names is against the very ethos of professional commentary.”

Drawing a parallel to make his point, Shishir said, “If I were to commentate on politics, it would be very unfair and disrespectful for me to use politicians’ pet names, for example, calling Narendra Modi ‘Naroo’, or referring to Amit Shah as ‘Amityu’ or Devendra Fadnavis as ‘Devu’.”

“It amplifies the feeling of being close to these cricketers, but that’s not what I want to hear. I want to hear an unbiased view of the game that is being played out in the middle. When you use pet names, the viewer begins to doubt whether you’re being unbiased,” he stressed.

Former spinner Maninder Singh, who is now a well-known commentator, said, “The commentators are tempted to call players by their pet names looking at the names on their jerseys. I always call them by their original names. It is all right if friends or the team mates call them by their pet names but it’s not good for commentators to do so.”

Saad Bin Jung, another former cricketer and the nephew of the iconic player Mansoor Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi, (Tiger Pataudi), offers an explanation. “I too have fallen into this trap,” he says. “The thing is that some players are such good friends that we forget we are on television and refer to them like we always do. It’s natural and it’s fine as long as the viewer knows who is being spoken of. I suppose if Benaud had referred to The Nabob, he would have called him ‘Tiger’. That’s just the way things are between friends and especially friends of the same fraternity.”

“Those who refer to players in these familiar terms actually want to convey their proximity to the player concerned”, says Hindi commentator Sushil Doshi, adding, “One can use these names during a private meeting, but over the mike you have to talk in a dignified manner. Sunil Gavaskar will never talk like this. Ritchie Benaud will never use such gimmicks. A man of stature always knows his responsibility.”

The role of a commentator is to give a pictorial description of the game and what is happening on the field of play. In the good old days, the radio commentators made you visualise the game with words. In today’s situation, the quantum of spoken words ought to be less because what is being said is visually seen on television. By using nicknames or pet names for players is against the very ethos of professional commentary.” — Shishir Hattangadi former First Class cricketer

I too have fallen into this trap. The thing is that some players are such good friends that we forget we are on television and refer to them like we always do. It’s natural and it’s fine as long as the viewer knows who is being spoken of. — Saad Bin Jung former cricketer

One can use these names during a private meeting, but over the mike you have to talk in a dignified manner. Sunil Gavaskar will never talk like this... Ritchie Benaud will never use such gimmicks. A man of stature always knows his responsibility. — Sushil Doshi, Hindi commentator