Cricket as a National Obsession is a Detriment to Other Sports

The people of India likes to play cricket more than hockey. Today in India 90% kids know the names of all Indian team cricketers but no one knows the hockey players. I am not saying that cricket is bad game but it is not that we not take attention in other games like hockey. My request is only that we all should also watch other games and hockey as it is our national game.

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.

Hello friends,

I think cricket is not a loss(detriment) to any other sport.

Cricket increased its reach only after 1995-96. That is because after that period players like Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble played many brilliant innings to help India win against foreign teams on their home grounds. In fact India had defeated the Great Australian team, of 1999-2007, on most occasions.

So, as a citizen when we hear about a sport in which we get wins consistently, we feel proud and automatically follows that sport.

On the other hand, India had last won a gold in hockey in 1980, India last qualified for football world cup in 1950. After Mr. Milkha Singh and Mrs. PT Usha no other athlete has got enough success. Shooting, Boxing, Wrestling, Badminton, Archery became more popular only after 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. That is why these sports were not followed by many people before.

So, India have not been able to produce successes consistently in other sports so as to gain enough interests of people in that sport as compared to cricket.

But now things are changing. Many sports are getting noticed. More and more people are watching those sports including Kabaddi.

In my point of view, cricket rules over the other games in India. Hockey is a national game but in India many of the people don't the name of hockey players or any other sports person but in cricket a 5 year old child can tell you the name of whole cricket team. I am not saying the cricket is a bad game but you should also respect all the sports and sports person. Even government can not took further steps for improving and leading the other sports.

Cricketers are much wealthier than any of the other sports man. Government should not humiliate the other sportsperson. They should provide the equal respect to other than cricketers.

No game is superior or inferior to other. Each and every game has its own importance and specialty. In case of cricket, I feel it as a gentleman's game compared to other. Because each and every moment there is an excitement, every ball, every over is breathtaking, exciting. But in case of other games for example football excitement is limited whenever a player reaches the goalpost. Likewise, I feel cricket is a exciting game, good entertainment. It does not rule over other games, it is the attitude of the people that makes cricket to rule over other games.

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.

Cricket is the most popular game in INDIA, everybody likes it because we are constantly doing very well in this sport. Beside this a lot of money has been invested for its promotion. Day after day our country's cricket will be developed. But what about other sports? I do believe that no game cannot destroy other games.

If you say that my heart is destroying my kidney, it sounds ridiculous. But the problem is there is lack of funds, appreciation in other sports. So it is not the time to blame anyone, its time to introspect.

A sportsman can understand well the difficulties. State government & central govt should take some initiatives to promote other games as well. They should form some committees which will headed by sportsmen.

Everything will have an end. So will this craze for Cricket too! India is a country struggling for basic needs. The government doesn't have funds to cater to all the sports and games. A midst all controversies and problems, it is still trying to support and help people who are trying to shine in different games.

You have less funds and only one game to choose. So the best option as of now is Cricket as it has given good ROI in the past decade. Not that India doesn't want to encourage or support any other game. At this point, with the available funds for a developing country, this is the best they can do.

The day Cricket's performance completely drops down and another game keeps ruling with tonnes of victories, that day, funds will be allocated for that game:). We are not a U.S or U.K or some developed country to cater to everything where the basic needs are still not achieved.

Every sports person seeks Opportunities, facilities and recognition. And it is evident that Cricket has more opportunities and training facilities as compared to other sports in India that's why also people turn to this sport.

We need to bring forward other sports also Because only Cricket won't bring Gold in Olympics. Commonwealth and Asian games. !

Better training facilities, opportunities and appreciation for other sports and sportsperson is the need of the day.

Why India never do good in Olympics because of almost no sponsorship, corruption & favoritism of sporting bodies, lack of facilities of sports in schools & colleges, poor infrastructure and grass root, no leagues (before 2012 we have no leagues but now we have atleast 4 leagues, some will start recently) , obsession with cricket (not an Olympic Event) , quality (India won 102 medals in Commonwealth Games 2010, 65 medals in Asian Games 2010 but only 6 in 2012 Olympics) etc.

I've never seen any sports channel telecasting India winning 8 Field-Hockey Gold in Olympics but during Cricket World Cup you see those channels telecasting 2 World Cups that India won all day long. Now some NGOs (OGQ, GoSports Mgmt. ) are trying to help these athletes and lets hope Indian contingent will do well in coming Olympics.