I was outraged at what I was hearing, I wanted to make it stop, but my tainted lust for entertainment wouldn’t let me. I even chuckled at a few responses, but mostly I was disgusted with this uneducated, crass of a player. I was more enraged at the host of the show whom I admired for his eloquence and candour. Enough and more is said about the players who were all mouth and no trousers. But what about the host? What about his instigating questions and the encouraging and the buoying? Not much of that is discussed.

The interview would have taken a whole different direction if it was scripted to suit the guests on the show. The show is formatted in a way to unravel the scandalous lives of popular Indian celebrities. One cannot just keep the same tempo on for players of the Indian cricket team. A section, like the infamous rapid fire round, could be kept reserved for unravelling their dirty linen but not the entire runtime of the show. It was the first time that two youth icons from the sporting world had been invited to the show. This was such a missed opportunity.

The host started the show with complimenting Player 1 for his style and buddied up with him by calling him a “hype beast” just like himself. He moved on to say how both the players have made their country proud, their families proud n then, the women in their life proud. On this note, the premise catches on, and all they talk through the show is about the players’ “conquests” — nothing about their game or their zeal to becoming successful players. When Player 1 made bawdy comments about the women in his life and his family being proud of it, the host went on to say how his family is a “perfect modern family”.

The person responsible for digging up information on the lives of these guests on the show must be fired, pronto! When the host went on to discuss their childhood, he disclosed how a condom was found in Player 2’s room. Instead of highlighting their toil to becoming such rounded players and representing the country the host stressed on the point that Player 1 is a proud school dropout. Instead of talking big about camaraderie and team spirit the host spoke about team politics.

To be more relevant and funny on the show the players went overboard and showed us the ugly side of masculinity. The point I am trying to make is at a young age with pockets full of money and bellies full of fire; one is bound to sway in the wrong direction. But to get them back on track is the job of someone more experienced like the host and the cricketing board. Instead of thespian reactions, it is vital to avert such circumstances by grooming the players and making them more empathetic.

With a tagline, ‘stop making sense’ the show sets expectations from the start and only urges us to move on. This one evening of fame cost the players their careers as they stand suspended from their game. The host, however, is full of joys of the spring and enjoying his life after he did “toodles” to the players.