Change the Game?

Cricket. The game is a phenomenon, a religion, an eternal epidemic of sorts. Almost every Indian seems to be hooked to it. So much is the fanaticism that cricketers who are generally known to be human beings, are considered Gods and Demi-Gods in this colorful land.

God? No.

The media has a huge hand in propagating the game, and thus themselves. Every sports section in every newspaper is replete with facts and rumours about cricket; other sports just mentioned in the sidelines, sometimes not. All the news channels compromise a significant strip of their tacky tickers for displaying the live scores of ongoing matches. This influence has led the BCCI to become the wealthiest board in all of cricketing domain; the Indian cricketers, most opulent. The cricketers get their proceeds from advertisements where they endorse anything and everything from abject objects like inverter batteries to the unrelenting Chyavanprash. Also, they earn a  few bucks through match fees. In spite of this single-gamed approach, India has never cemented itself as cricket's one greatest nation among the handful others. 

So, why this craze? Why are we so obsessed with only one game? Most of the world's nations follow multiple sports with little bias, so why not India? USA boasts of a fair following of sports like basketball, baseball, American football, tennis and what not. UK indulges in football, rugby, tennis, and even cricket. This fact is reflected by their ability to produce top notch athletes in the various sports played across the globe. On the other hand, India has only been able to produce good cricketers. All the other sports have had extremely rare cases of impactful Indian representation. With a population of over 120 crores and such feeble participation, India is indeed an sporting anomaly.

The reasons behind this  irregularity can be many and some, based on different perceptions. Now, the people of the Indian subcontinent inherently lack energy and athleticism. No offence meant, but the average Indian is stocky and about 5'5. Another important factor may be our stereotypical thinking. Well-nigh population think inside the box, giving emphasis to traditional and ubiquitous occupations like doctors, lawyers, engineers, and agriculture. Such restricted thinking leaves little or no room for sports or even other less popular professions. 

Vishwanathan Anand

Bhupati/Paes

Generations of Indians have cherished cricket. Perhaps it is time to change the game, like a popular soft drink ad suggests. Games like badminton, tennis, chess have long threatened to capture a little portion of public interest. Vishwanathan Anand in chess, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati in tennis and many such names have consistently performed well on the grandest of stages. Football is steadily displacing gully cricket and becoming a conversational topic among the urban youth. The television viewership for sports like F1,  tennis and football is ever rising.

Though the all conquering cricket mania will be hard to knock-off, maybe other sports can pave their way into public's lives one step at a time. A little encouragement right from the grass-root levels, a little capital influx towards the direction of other sports and an open mind is all that is needed. 

May India one day be a Footballing winner and a Hockey giant; may an Indian be a racing champion, may India justify the sporting versatility of  its 120 crore strong population...