Indian sports fans have expressed strong displeasure after Manu Bhaker was asked about young cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during a formal event.
Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, was attending the 75th anniversary celebrations of the National Rifle Association of India in Delhi when, while interacting with the media, she was posed a question about the rising teenage batting sensation. Many felt the query was out of place, given both the occasion and Bhaker's stature in a completely different sport.
Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Bhaker handled it with composure and maturity. She remarked that with the right mentorship and guidance, Sooryavanshi has the potential to become a major star in Indian cricket.
However, once the video of the exchange went viral, it triggered backlash among fans, who believed the question undermined Bhaker's own achievements. Social media platforms were soon flooded with criticism, with many users calling out the tendency to steer conversations toward cricket, even in moments meant to celebrate excellence in other sports.
Folks, she is an Olympic medallist. To ask her what she thinks of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is unfair on her achievements and her sports. Cricket anyway is the ruling passion of the country, your sports editors do not need another celebrity quote to spin a headline on Sooryavanshi.… https://t.co/Ha4RsO1rf8
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) April 27, 2026
I can never understand a journalist asking a shooter about 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
— Pritish Raj (@befikramusafir) April 27, 2026
What is the point?
Never heard cricketers being asked about Manu Bhaker or anyone else.
There was no relevance and no connection.
Hilarious and sad also pic.twitter.com/RxPISLIewb
Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker was asked about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) April 27, 2026
It felt a bit irrelevant to ask, especially since such questions are rarely posed the other way around. pic.twitter.com/1svnY0FsPZ
An attempt by the media to create non-existent controversy!
— Abhijit Barve (@abhibarve72) April 28, 2026
Vaibhav should be judged by his achievements on the field, not by other person's comments. At the same time, by making Manu Bhaker talk about Vaibhav, media is belittling her.
Funny how relevance is measured ,ask Manu Bhaker about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , but not the other way around pic.twitter.com/jzy8pLuHEi
— Sonakshi Vashistha (@Sonakshi_V) April 27, 2026
Excuse me. She's an Olympic double medalist. You should be asking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi about Manu Bhaker and not the other way round. Everything that's wrong with our sports culture. https://t.co/MUKc9QsJuA
— Vaitheeswaran K (@vaitheek) April 27, 2026
Why would anyone ask about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and whether he should debut for India to Manu Bhaker? ????????♂️
— Koustav Sengupta (@KoustavOfficial) April 27, 2026
You'd be tempted to think this question is from the LA28 Olympics Mixed Zone where a feted athlete from shooting is being asked about a feted athlete from cricket, from the same contingent but…it's not.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) April 27, 2026
Winning two Olympic medals isn't enough in India at times, it turns out. https://t.co/New2BXGvOw
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