Fallen From Grace

The fall from grace, devoid of even an iota of shame, is hardly surprising from India’s warmongering politicians, who have degenerated to the lowest moral depths. This time the Indian cricket team’s act of “othering”—refusing to shake hands with a fellow sportsman—would no doubt have made Hitler proud of Modi’s India. It appeared as though the team was not playing for the blue jersey, but for the saffron banner—a reflection of the Hindutva ideology. This sentiment was echoed by global affairs expert Dr Ashok Swain, who tweeted: “Cricketers should play cricket, not play politics for their political masters! India needs to answer why it lost so many fighter jets to Pakistan—a cricket match victory is not the answer.”

More than anything, such behaviour reveals a far more dangerous facet of India’s so-called democracy—one that is now morally bankrupt to its very core. The current democratic landscape in India is hollow in spirit, with values conspicuously absent. The entire cultural fabric appears poisoned, having transformed the playground into a battlefield. It is a reflection of the Nazi-like tendencies that prevail in India, towards which the world has largely turned a blind eye.

Winning a cricket match does not define a nation’s global standing. It is merely a sport and, in today’s world, more a form of entertainment. It plays no role in statecraft, nor does it contribute meaningfully to a country’s prestige on the international stage. However, when played with grace and integrity, it can offer a measure of international recognition. The Indian cricket team, backed by its government, has conveniently disgraced itself.
Rather than upholding the spirit of the game, it chose a path that undermined the very values cricket is meant to represent.

Yet this was not the first time, and it certainly will not be the last, that political agendas have eroded the spirit of sportsmanship. The Hindutva-fied Indian cricket team indulged in a classless act, dedicating their victory to the Indian armed forces—forces that, incapable of claiming war trophies, could only receive tributes from cricketers at the cost of bringing shame to the gentleman’s game.

To those Indians who found joy in the ridiculous theatrics of the Indian cricket team, they should ask themselves a question: Why stoop so low to take pride in shame? Indeed, they do not have an answer to this nosedive in national character. The real reason for taking pride in such an act lies in India’s inability to prove its mettle in the arena of war, where it truly matters. The Indian Air Force (IAF) lost its honour in the South Asian skies, suffering an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), with seven aircraft downed, excluding the Heron drone. On 10 May, India’s ground forces failed to match the tempo set by Pakistan’s armed forces—a reality too harsh for Hindutva extremists to digest. And on the cricket ground, like a spoilt child, they threw tantrums, flouting international conventions in the misguided belief that such behaviour would earn them esteem. In reality, the Indian cricket team has fallen from grace. In cricketing terms, they have effectively got themselves out by a hit wicket — their downfall being the result of their own doing.

What stories will Indians tell their next generations about the May 2025 events? That they refused to shake hands with their adversaries on the sports field because they could not match their capabilities on the battlefield? That this, somehow, was their victory? Is this the mindset they wish to instil in future generations—a defeatist outlook dressed up as defiance? This is not normal; it is as abnormal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s narrative surrounding Operation Sindoor, which lacks both clarity and substance. However, one cannot even urge BJP politicians to reconsider, for their natural inclination is to think—and in doing so, to further debase their conduct. Yet, moving forward, sections of Indian society must recalibrate their values and recognise that showing grace is not a difficult task.

Pakistan has rightly stirred the international conscience by calling for the suspension of the match referee who permitted India’s disgraceful conduct. For how long will the world continue to appease Modi, just as the Europeans once appeased Hitler? Economic rationale cannot be allowed to override moral responsibility. President Donald Trump’s approach towards India offers a lesson the rest of the world would do well to learn from.