Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has slammed all the cricketers and athletes who have signed up to to the Pan Masala ads. Many current and former cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Virender Sehwag, have been doing seen endorsing masala products but through surrogate products. Advertising tobacco brands is banned in India. Hence, what tobacco companies do is they advertise surrogate products like Elaichi to promote their name. Gambhir came down heavily on all cricketers who have chosen to feature in those ads. Even West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle has been seen in many of these ads of late.
Also Read | Virat Kohli Vs Gautam Gambhir: LSG Mentor Opens Up On Fight With RCB Batter, Says THIS About Relationship With MS Dhoni
In a TV interview, Gambhir urged his fans to choose their role models carefully. The current Member of Parliament also said that there are other ways to make money and by doing an ad for a Pan Masala brand send wrong message to crores of kids who watch these ads.
"I never thought in my life a cricketer would do a pan masala ad. It’s disgusting and disappointing. That is why I say, choose your role models carefully. What example are you setting?" Gambhir told News18. "One gets recognised not by their name, but by the work they do. Crores of kids are watching you. Money is not that important that you will end of doing a pan masala ad. There are so many other ways to make money," he added.
Gambhir then recalled a story from 2018 when he stepped down as captain of Delhi Daredevils midway through the season after team's flop show in that edition of Indian Premier League. With that, he also refused to take the Rs 3 crore paycheque that came with it, as he wanted to hold himself accountable and felt he did not deserve the money if he was not the captain anymore.
"You should have the courage to let go of a big pay cheque rather than do such things,” said Gambhir. "I could have taken the money, but I left it because I always believe that I should get what I deserve."
Giving an example of Sachin Tendulkar, Gambhir said that the India great once did not sign a deal of Rs 20-30 crore because he did not want to promote a pan masala brand. "Sachin Tendulkar was offered Rs 20-30 crores to act in pan masala ads as well. But he said no to these pan masala ads. He had promised his father that he would never engage in such stuff, which is why he is a role model," said Gambhir.
