Former India pacer Praveen Kumar has come forth in an assertive conversation, sharing his side of the story regarding his reputation as an alcoholic and elucidating the challenges he faced in finding a role in cricket post his playing days. Kumar, renowned for his swinging deliveries during the heydays of his career in the early 2010s, last represented India internationally in 2012 and bowed out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2017. The skilled bowler has now chosen to address the negative perception that has clouded his image and openly discussed the notion that his drinking practices have been singled out despite being a more widespread issue amongst cricketers.
The candid revelations were made during his guest appearance on the Lallantop Youtube channel. Kumar broached the subject of alcohol consumption within cricketing circles: “When I was in the Indian team, seniors would often advise against drinking amongst other things. But it’s an open secret that everyone did it. Nonetheless, I became the scapegoat and faced public admonition as ‘PK is the one who drinks.'”
Further delving into the matter, Kumar refrained from dropping names but indicated that his reputation was intentionally smeared by individuals within the cricket fraternity. But when pressed to identify those responsible, he preserved their anonymity on camera, stating, “I don’t want to name anyone on the camera. It’s common knowledge who has tainted my name.”
Kumar, who boasts an impressive hat-trick in the IPL 2010 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, also had stints with prominent teams like Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and ended his IPL journey with Gujarat Lions in 2017. He accentuated a significant turn of events when he was offered a position as a bowling coach with a franchise in 2018, but it failed to materialize—allegedly due to the persistent infamous image. To add to his disenchantment, even his home team, Uttar Pradesh (UP), elected not to induct him into their support staff.
The former cricketer highlighted how baseless rumors barred him from contributing to the beloved sport, especially to the upcoming generations: “I wasn’t asked to come and share knowledge with the young players in the Ranji Trophy. They seem to think ‘PK drinks.’ As if I drink on the pitch or pop open a bottle in the dressing room!”
Praveen Kumar’s trajectory in the cricketing world was undoubtedly complicated by off-field controversies and injurious spells. Despite these setbacks, he left an indelible mark through his skillful bowling, tallying a respectable 112 wickets across formats in his tenure with the national team, which spanned 68 ODIs, six Tests, and 10 T20Is.
While the conversation brushed upon Kumar’s unresolved grievances, it was also a cathartic expression of his current standing in cricket and life post-retirement. He remains a renowned figure, albeit not without controversy, in the corridors of Indian cricket.
As an appended note to Kumar’s exasperated revelations, the report also succinctly presents other related cricket stories making the headlines. Fans of the sport are informed of the latest regarding the SA20 2024 schedule, squad details, and viewership information. Attention is also brought to the Ranji Trophy, where a star Indian batsman’s participation is confirmed after being overlooked for the Afghanistan T20Is. Moreover, the report highlights the unfortunate sidelining of South Africa’s Anrich Nortje from the SA20 owing to injury, following his absence from the World Cup and series against India. These stories collectively wrap up the ongoing narrative of cricket news, providing a comprehensive panorama for avid followers of the game.
