Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said that certain websites and individual accounts have attributed comments and quotes to him that he never made, urging people to cross-check and verify such information before believing it to be true.
Gavaskar still plays an active role in cricket as a broadcaster and expert and is in England covering the Indian team鈥檚 five-match series.
Multiple other former cricketers, including Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin, have spoken against certain accounts attributing fake quotes and posting on social media.
Gavaskar, in his video, opened up about his observations regarding fake news and quotes attributed to his name in the last few months.
鈥淥ver the last few months, it鈥檚 come to my notice that a lot of sports websites and individual accounts have been attributing comments and quotes to me which I have never made,鈥 Gavaskar said in a video posted on his Instagram account.
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Gavaskar isn鈥檛 one to mince his words and shy away from reality. Unfortunately, certain individual accounts fabricate fake quotes to increase their online engagement in an unethical manner, for most celebrities.
With the advent of fake news all around, Gavaskar鈥檚 popularity has often been misused by the media houses.
Gavaskar complained against a website during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when they published a fake article in his name.
Recently, Gavaskar鈥檚 celebration when Rishabh Pant scored a hundred in the second innings of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, won the hearts of cricket fans. Gavaskar wanted to see Pant pulling off his trademark somersault celebration.
Pant, who scored a hundred in the first innings as well, finished on the losing team as England chased down a 371-run target with five wickets to spare.