Cricket as a National Obsession is a Detriment to Other Sports

Hello everyone,

I would like to pose a question to everyone, When does something become an obsession? I guess when people attach or associate themselves with a thing which he/she feels covetous about. Now talking about cricket, I agree that its presence has overshadowed many sports in India, but you can't simply blame media hype for everything. Before 1984 when India won its first world cup cricket wasn't that famous as compared to hockey. After the world cup victory cricket received a tremendous impetus and later on giving rise to many legendary figures who carried that momentum on, thus gradually becoming lucrative source of sponsorship for the sponsors and business magnates.

Unfortunately in other sports we have not been able to bring international glory of cricket's repute but we have seen many sporting figures like Saina Nehwal, Bopppana, Rajwardhan Singh Rathore, Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Singh, Gopichand becoming cynosures for their glory in Olympics and many other major international tournaments. This recognition has been possible only on the basis of their merit not because of the hype. Thus popularity of sport depends upon the achievement of team or individual in that sport. We now have many leagues coming up for sports like hockey, badminton & boxing. I would corroborate my point by citing example of Australia who are or have been world champions in many sports like rugby, cricket, swimming etc. Thus have immense obsession for all sports.

In the end I would like to conclude that there is no doubt cricket is a very popular sport in India but its unfair to call it as a detriment to other sports because popularity or success of a sport in India depends upon our sports player's or team's performance at global level because we never know few good tournaments can change a course of sport's future. At the same time onus also lies on the government to promote and provide adequate sporting environment for other sports as well.

The inventors of cricket certainly didn't want it to be this way, but yes, Cricket indeed has posed a threat to the betterment and longevity of other sports. There are various reasons for this to have happened. Firstly, I think we lack the courage to pick up something new and work on it and as our history suggests, we have always been good followers and not good leaders.

If there is one term that we are immensely familiar with would certainly be "jumping on the bandwagon". Secondly, it is our tendency to infatuate over certain individuals to the point like its crazy. Hate to bring this up, but the entire extravaganza of Sachin's farewell summed it up about the state of sports in our country. It was like everything was served on the plate for him. Home ground, the weakest opposition possible, crazy media hype. True that he will always be one of the best batsmen ever but no individual is bigger than the sport.

The same year, there was not a single individual present to greet the victorious Women's archery team that returned home after beating giants South Korea in the finals. The cricketers are not at fault, nor is any other sports person. It is us. Ironically, most of cricket's ardent followers in the subcontinent are those who have never played even a 30 over match at the University or even at the School level.

Cricket is one the very few games which has gone through so many changes over time that it has become clear now that there is not much patriotism left in it. It is nothing but a commercial gimmick. But then again, this would not have had happened if we had not fallen prey to it.

Yest it is true that we Indian love cricket. It like blood in our body. On the day of important cricket match especially with Pakistan is creating sensation in all over India. But I don't think it is destroying India. Because every sports have their own plus point and it works like as person, like if person is intelligent and creative he get love from everyone.

Same happen in sports like if you very good at something you going to be recognized and India is good in cricket so we loved it. If they start losing and challenges if games is reduced we going to hate cricket.

In other game the same thing is missing. They don't have viewers because they don't provide sensation as cricket. Archery, badminton, swimming etc happen in only Olympics and some other few tournaments which is not enough to provide spotlight to them.

But now if you see after IPL, kabaddi league start which get huge response and now football league started in India which also getting good response. So they prove that we need spotlight and create new challenges to popularize a game. But you also going to feel that the shine of cricket is now decreasing because of lots of tournament and absence of challenge.

So my final stand is that no game is destroying any game it just matter of to be good in something and provide challenge and spotlight it will become famous.

I don't think cricket is an obsession it's just that 90% of our countries population is crazy behind about this sport. India's love to cricket can be compared to Brazil's love to football, but inspite of variation in sport there's one thing that's in common that is both the countries are quite successful in their respective sports. In case of brazil where it has gone on to win 5 world cup titles India has won 2 world cup 1 T-20 world cup and has won the champions trophy 2 times as well. Who knew the game of cricket before 1983 world cup, India entered in the tournament as an underdog and eventually ended up being the winner of the tournament may be that win roped a seed of the game in the minds of people of India which is now flourishing as a big tree and due to the kind of success it has had maybe that's one reason why the fans love their game over here. Moreover it's not only India who has this impartial love for certain game, there are many countries out there like whole of the europe is crazy for the game of football.

But inspite Indian peoples deep involvement in the game there are various leagues for various other sports that are coming up and kind of response and appreciation all these leagues are getting that surely suggests me one thing that India is on its way to becoming a great sportsnation.

Hi Friends,.

I am totally in favor of this topic because now a days parents are allow to play cricket to there children rather than other sports, are wasting there time is it right? No, absolutely no.

We have a very good player in football, basketball and many more games which have international exposure but no one accept that games as there career, this kind of games for only there personnel interest. Because player don't have that much of exposure. Now a days we can see businessman are even interested to spend money in cricket we have IPL for cricket only but what about other games even government, businessman no one support for this games.

Even when cricket world is organized people started "Yagya" (worship to GOD) for Win the match, but is any kind of this thing done for any other game world-cup like hockey and all. Indian Hockey team holds the second in most powerful team of hockey but still our national game awaited for that much of exposure that cricket all ready have.

Friends all I just wanted to say that all games are equal, if our Government and population of India support us then no one can stop us to become a No. 1 in all games ans China, America even not able to compete us in any game.

Thank You for your support and paying attention on my views.

Ya I would partially agree on this statement.

Cricket being the most followed game in India pulls a curtain on other sports. If we look at today's data cricket is followed in every corner of India and is the obvious answer for aliens to guess it as our national game. I am not condemning it rather I would say we are passionate about this sport since we been playing it since childhood and the whole country follows it. Some follow it as it is their passion, some dream to be cricketers and etc. We choose only this because it has been the most attractive game without any doubt for Indians though it is not an National game.

This obsession of people has affected us in many ways, either it could be parents choosing their children to enroll them for a training camp or to watch it LIVE.

Even the govt makes us feel sometimes that cricket is the only game in India buy not supporting any other games. This scenarios make people lose their interest in other sports literally as there is NO support from people, govt.

But in between all these there are a few people who do follow some other sports passionately and have had success.

Finally concluding I would say YES Cricket is an obsessed game for Indians, Detrimenting other sports to maximum extent but not completely.

Hi,

In India today other sports are flourishing slowly. But there is a severe lack of funds for both private as well as national teams of all sports but cricket. This problem is also preceded by the very notion that every single Indian must have an interest or liking towards cricket. Its really sad to see parents place their children in cricket coaching camps without any thought as to whether the child likes the sport or not.

This has to change. All sports have to be given equal importance. Yes, its true that there have been individual stars in certain sports and have achieved on the basis of their accomplishments than hype as mentioned somewhere in this discussion page. But in a country of 1.28 billion people, producing a good set of players for every sport should be possible. If we can scout for cricket players so can we for other sports. This is also one of the major reasons as to why football players have never been scouted by teams in the English Premier League. If countries such as Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Korea can produce world class players that currently play in the EPL so can INDIA.

But its all a matter of change.

The question is are we willing to take that step towards a different and more prosperous india?

That waits to be seen.

It's not faring saying that cricket is a detriment to other sports. Each game has its own priority but as of now cricket is having much more craze than any other game due to their achievements during last few decades. Even a small child is interested in cricket as it is a game which can be played even with 2 members, a plank, a paper ball and a small place which is not enough for playing games like football, hockey, basketball etc. So ppl are more attracted to cricket which is much closer and easier to play n have fun. But Indians being good in cricket alone doesn't fetch us more medals in Olympics. The govt should step forward and give more support, funds, infrastructure, encouragement to the other games too. They should plan different types of leagues and telecast in the channels so that many ppl will be aware of different sports. As winning the world cup is a matter of pride winning the gold medal in Olympics also should be. When the members of other sports too bring India huge victories continuously then that particular sport can come into limelight. Parents should let their child know about different sports in school level itself and encourage them in At least, one sport in which they are most interested in.

Cricket, we all know that it is the heart throb sport of all Indians. The foremost reason for this is cricket was in a vibe since the time of British rule. It was the Britishers who actually brought cricket as a sport in India. In those times cricket was a source of relaxations. On the current scenario of the sporting profession, we observe government and other administrative bodies to give more preference to the sport than other. Hockey, being the national sports of our motherland still couldn't get such huge appreciation. Cricket in true sense has become a national obsession in India. Due to this craziness for the sport in India, other sports like badminton, hockey, archery etc are overshadowed. We cannot blame any media for this high consideration. A person gets obsessed for sports when he/she can relate himself/herself as the part of the sport. It depends on the sportsmen nlt on the sport. We may notice kids of 8-9 years can easily figure famous cricketers but can't name famous person of other sports at this age.

Thus, it's not wrong to say that India gives more importance to cricket but we cannot deny the fact of giving extra vibe to the sport by the governmental bodies as well.

Hi friends,

In my point of view, Cricket is not harming any other Game.
In fact, the divelopment of any sport is not the matter of money its a matter of Governance structure.

Lets take a comparision between the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and the forthcoming
Cricket world Cup 2011 makes clear differences in the GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE of cricket and other sports in India.

The best way to drum up interest before a mega event is through the sale of Merchandise. But for Commenwealth Games, a full scale merchandise program was never launched. Which results---We lost the huge revenue earning opportunity.

In contrast, world cup merchandise is already on sale in India and elsewhere in the subcontinent.

Unfortunately for the Delhi Commonwealth Games, ticket sales and distribution were complete mess.

It is the professionalism associated with Gentelman Game called 'Cricket', evident also from the way the Eden Gardens unpreparedness issues have been handled and hard measures taken, that explans the tremendous interest in the event across sector of the Indian Economy and Society.

Comming to IPL-- There is nothing worng to put more money On the Event Where people showing more Interest.