Cricket as a National Obsession is a Detriment to Other Sports

There is no exercise in playing cricket. In India cricket is a cheating game and it is a six letter money game. Play other it is good for our health.

In India, Cricket is more than just a game. Cricket is a religion and players are idols. The big money rolling on advertisements, the six digit salary and the lucrative offers stand testimony for why youngsters aspire to take Cricket as their career even though it is evident that it is not an easy destination to make it through.

It is obvious that with multifarious editions for the same game, Cricket has set its own trend. The format of this game is too exciting that it has won the hearts of the masses provoking the advertisers to do their part. And with the corporate investments flooding in for sponsors and advertisements, Cricket has widened its margin from rest of the sports by all odds.

Cricket has a national obsession. That is why other sports don't enjoy equal status in our country as cricket:

> Hockey is our national sport but we hardly know any player of Indian hockey team or rarely follow the matches.

> FIFA is extremely famous. Around 40 teams participated in it. But India lies nowhere in the field of international football.

> China, US, UK bags 50-70 medals in Olympic but our country is hardly able to secure 2-3 medals.

> Kabbadi and Kho Kho are our domestic sports but lie far behind cricket.

> Gymnastics, Water sports are still not there in India.

Sports are judged based on their worldwide popularity and when more than 200 nations are part of FIFA they are not idiots where there are 10 to 12 teams in ICC rankings and most of them are developing countries and even ICC pleads to nations to take part in World Cup that tells the story. While Americans are obsessed with basketball, rugby and baseball Indians are obsessed with cricket but Americans are good at Olympics and take part in football world cup India does nothing. To me Cricket is on the same level as playing with marbles so beating Bangladesh or Sri Lanka in Cricket doesn't hold any importance to the people around the world and you have seen those matches in the USA where the whole stadium was full of Indians but no Americans. The problem is that parents buy a bat and a ball for their kids and not football. My friends used to discuss cricket but I didn't do what many would do they would start watching cricket join their friends' discussion party, actually there is no seriousness about that game as it's not important to hundreds of other countries.

Hi friends,

India's peoples like game only for a game cricket not value other games. L play cricket and I am thirteen years old but other game not known any child every child known cricket game. But no knowledge of any games like hockey, tennis, chess, football any other games.

Main reason Indian people crazy on cricket world cup, t20, one day games. The government give spot cricket don't like any other game. Example mc mary kom is won four boxing championship but not give facilities Indian government. Last I say cricket is a game and not waste of time many games are pending in heart of India.

Hi friends,

Very glad to hear all opinions of everyone. Primarily, All sports are equal in their specialty. There is no inferiority or superiority between sports. In India, of course Cricket is the most popular game. But it does not mean that is the only sport that creates obsession among Indians. There were also several excited sports but why cricket as a National obsession that is detriment to other sports?

Sponsorship, prize money are less in other sports when compared to cricket. So persons who are very eager to build their career as sportsman are not in a position to think about other sports.

In addition, Media hype, that leads to more excitement among cricket lovers. Respective Sports Authority should take intensive measures, create opportunities for sportsmen for respective sports. They need to be trained properly to face any type challenges and most important thing that appreciation must be given to sportsmen of other sports.

So now a days, yes. Cricket is National Obsession that is detriment to other sports.

Hii friends, in my view all sports are same there is no any difference between cricket and other sports and just the people who are thinking that is different. I feel that that every game has there own identity and importance.

So don't hesitate other sports by comparing with cricket. For example take our family members we are giving importance for every person in our home or surroundings like that we want to give importance for other sports also not only for cricket.

Yes indeed.

I completely agree with this.

I am a big fan of Indian sports & I have followed 2 commonwealth games, two Asian games & the last Olympics very closely. That is, basically I started following other sports after 2009 when I joined the internet because Indian television has only one sport!

Never, it is just a sport. If you like it, enjoy it, else do not watch it but don't say such unfavorable sentences which destroys the spirit of the game. It's just because people like it more than any other sport, the game has gained popularity.

Yes, cricket as a national obsession is indeed detrimental to other sports. You will hardly find anyone being interested in seeing sports other than cricket. The cricketers are treated as celebrities and the popularity of other sport players is nowhere near them.

A world Kabbadi champion team have to take auto to go their home and nobody even cares about them. While for hitting six sixes in an over, they are paid crores of rupees as prize money.

Some sportsperson even have to sell vegetables for their livelihood. There can be nothing more saddening. Generally the training facilities for other sports are abysmal. Even a kid dreaming of taking some other sports as his career thinks thousand time before taking any decision.