It’s a busy time for India’s cricketers. A week before they leave on their World Cup mission, the team — most of whom have been on the road for the past 18-odd months — are making the most of their break from the game. Some are following hectic ad-shooting schedules, others simply squeezing every last moment with their families. The team has been given just 11 days’ rest after the dismal tour of New Zealand. Making the most of the opportunity is Virender Sehwag, widely tipped to be one of the stars of the tournament. His schedule ‘‘packed’’ with shooting dates till he leaves for South Africa, Sehwag has, in his short career, firmly established himself as the hot choice of sponsors. He already has nine major endorsement deals (two less than Sachin Tendulkar) and one minor contract. And his latest commercial — for Mayur Suitings — featuring Shah Rukh Khan will be launched in New Delhi on Wednesday. He’s already been to Mumbai for one shoot and missed out on another in Jodhpur due to fog. To avoid hectic travel, everything will now be done in Delhi, says his marketing agent Latika Khaneja, but she won’t reveal the exact number of commercials. Another popular cricketer is — no surprises — Chandigarh-based pin-up boy Yuvraj Singh, who’s shot a Westside commercial in Mumbai. His mentor and skipper Saurav Ganguly will be shooting ‘‘some commercials for Hero Honda in Delhi’’, says Ganguly’s agent Percept D’Mark. The Indian skipper, who’s the company’s brand ambassador, is expected to be in the capital for a function attended also by the company’s employees and their families. India’s two other major players, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, will, however, be spending time with their families. That’s what Indian team physiotherapist Andrew Leipus had wanted in the first place for the entire team. He told The Indian Express that, since there wasn’t much time between tours for a training camp in India, the players were given a fitness chart to follow at their homes. ‘‘We decided in the best interest of the players that they needed to spend time with their family and they have been suggested to relax and do nothing during this time,’’ he said. His views are shared by BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya: ‘‘At the moment we want them to relax till the World Cup begins.’’ Though he did admit that ‘‘Officially, the board did not tell the players anything about their activities.’’ In many ways, the players simply don’t have a choice. The itinerary is drawn up well in advance and is part of a matrix of engagements tough to get out of. All players are obliged to allott a certain number of days to their sponsors who, obviously, are looking to maximise the appeal of their star signings just before the World Cup. Samsung spokesperson Ruchika Batra said, ‘‘The dates we book from the players are carefully selected to avoid clashing with their primary interest.’’ Maybe, but the day the team returned from New Zealand, the six players on ‘Team Samsung’ were flown in — jetlagged — to New Delhi for a promotional programme for their sponsors. That may rankle the purists, who feel the cricketers are spending too much time on the frills. But with their cricket schedule so packed, what other time do they have to fulfil these obligations? Batra points to the company policy of not interfering with the players’ time when a match is on or before an important match.’’ And Khaneja feels there’s nothing wrong since this is the best time to make themselves financially secure. ‘‘The average career span of a cricketer is less than 10 years, so why blame him? Besides, fans feel happy at seeing their stars. After all, these players have done the country proud.’’ True, but they should remember that public memory is fickle and short. And ads of grinning cricketers will jar if the team doesn’t perform.
