Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has entered the fiery debate surrounding Lionel Messi's controversial appearance in Kolkata, placing the primary responsibility squarely on the football legend's shoulders. Gavaskar argues that blaming local organizers or India's VIP culture distracts from the core issue: Messi's failure to fulfill his promised commitments to paying fans.
Gavaskar's Scrutiny Shifts from Organizers to Messi
In a column for Sportsstar, Gavaskar addressed the uproar following Messi's unexpectedly brief stint at the Salt Lake Stadium during his "G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025." He expressed frustration at how the narrative quickly turned to faulting India for the incident. Gavaskar highlighted the stark gap between what fans were led to expect and the reality they witnessed on the ground.
"Even the recent episode at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata, where the Argentinian footballer, Lionel Messi, made a far shorter appearance than promised, was blamed on everyone except the person who failed to honour his commitment," Gavaskar wrote. He pointed out that while exact contract details are private, the fundamental disappointment of the crowd was undeniable.
Dismissing Excuses and Highlighting Fan Betrayal
Gavaskar directly countered the potential justification of security concerns due to the swarm of politicians and VIPs around Messi. He asserted that there was no genuine security threat present. "Yes, he was surrounded by politicians and so-called VIPs, but there was no security threat to him or his entourage," the cricket icon stated.
He posed a practical solution, suggesting that had Messi engaged in a tangible activity like taking a penalty kick, the crowd would have gotten the experience they paid for, and the VIPs would have had to make way. "What his agreement was is not public knowledge, but if he was meant to be at the stadium for an hour, then by leaving well before that time and disappointing fans who had paid good money, the real culprit was he and his entourage," Gavaskar asserted firmly.
A Call for Accountability Before Blaming Fellow Indians
Drawing a comparison to Messi's other successful events in India, Gavaskar attributed their positive reception to the full delivery of what was promised. His concluding remarks served as a call for balanced judgment. He urged the public to verify whether all commitments were met before criticizing local organizers or the city of Kolkata.
"So, before blaming fellow Indians in Kolkata, it might be worth checking whether commitments on both sides were honoured," the former batting legend concluded, shifting the onus of accountability back to the global superstar and his team for the letdown during the high-profile tour.
