Some moments reveal the true character of a fanbase, and unfortunately, this was one of them. As Shubman Gill lay injured, carried off the field on a stretcher with a serious neck issue, a section of social media decided it was the perfect time to manufacture jokes, memes, and cheap comparisons. And honestly, it was disgraceful.
There’s a line between criticism and cruelty, and many crossed it without hesitation.
Gill didn’t walk off because he wanted sympathy. He didn’t leave the field because he was “soft.” He left because he physically couldn’t continue. A neck injury isn’t a niggle you shake off. It’s not a bruise you can tape. It’s a part of your body that controls your balance, mobility, and basic function. Yet, somehow, people began comparing his situation to Rishabh Pant batting on a fractured foot in England - as if both injuries are interchangeable, as if pain has a single template, as if courage can be measured with memes.
Let’s be very clear: Pant’s act was heroic, yes, but it came in a situation where he could still stand, move, and execute his shots despite the risk. Gill, on the other hand, couldn’t even turn his head. Expecting him to take guard against high-quality fast bowling in that condition isn’t courage - it’s insanity.
And here’s the part conveniently forgotten by the noise-makers: Gill spent two days under intensive care. Two days. His mobility was restricted, his condition monitored, and his return timeline entirely uncertain. The video of him leaving the hospital makes it painfully obvious - he couldn’t stabilise his head, let alone face a cricket ball hurtling at 140 km/h. Yet, some people still had the audacity to say, “He should’ve batted in the second innings.”
This is a player who has carried the burden of all 3 formats through an exhausting year - travelling nonstop, switching roles, taking responsibility, constantly being in the firing line. And despite all that, what does he get? Memes about his injury. Doubts about his commitment. Insults masquerading as humour.
It’s ironic: when Gill helped India draw the Test series in England, the same fans hailed him as a hero. But the moment he’s vulnerable, suddenly he becomes a punchline. Critique his form if you must - that’s part of elite sport. But mocking a player’s injury, especially your captain’s? That’s not passion. That’s not fandom. That’s a lack of humanity.
Also Watch: The reason behind Josh Inglis’ exit from PBKS
