Given that we’re firstly of one other World Cup, we anticipate the thrill to peak within the coming weeks. Social media, workplace water coolers, public transport, parks, and some other gathering could have cricket discussions. Will India attain the semi-finals? What concerning the finals? Can we win?

It’s all nice. But whereas cricket shines brightest, there appears to be one other superb pattern rising as nicely. That is, the rise of Indian pleasure in different sports activities, significantly these which Indians traditionally have cared little about. This has occurred primarily due to latest Indian achievements in these sports activities. Suddenly, a medal win for India within the Olympics or Asian Games brings a surge of curiosity and a spotlight. After all, had been we ever excited about javelin throw earlier than Neeraj Chopra received that Olympic Gold? There is a complete new listing of sports activities the place Indians are reaching like by no means earlier than. Shooting, wrestling, weightlifting, badminton and athletics have all had new Indian stars within the final decade or so. In the present Asian Games, Indians have received medals in equestrian, curler skating, rowing, squash, golf, crusing and wushu (martial arts). Can you imagine this? Indians turning into champions in all these sports activities aside from cricket? Sure, Asian Games aren’t the Olympics, however they’re a stepping stone. The pattern suggests India will win medals in these sports activities even at global-level competitions within the coming years. Asian Games medals additionally contain actual intense competitors, with loads of developed and much wealthier nations collaborating within the competitors (Japan, Korea, and China, as an example). These aren’t small achievements. They are as arduous to attain as successful the ICC Cricket World Cup, if not more durable.

Cricket in India at the moment is backed by an organisation just like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whose internet value runs into billions (round $2.25bn, in keeping with reviews). To put it in perspective, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and New Zealand cricket boards have internet value of round $55m, $50m, $20m, $15m and $9m respectively. BCCI’s internet value is greater than that of all the opposite cricket boards world wide put collectively. Even Australia and England, the following richest boards after India, are lower than a sixth of BCCI’s internet value. When we are saying we’re taking part in worldwide cricket, are we even combating worthy opponents? Does the World Cup really have world participation? Not actually. Around a dozen nations play cricket to some critical degree. A dozen isn’t the world. Also, we have now a cricket board that’s method richer than the others. Is it nonetheless as a lot enjoyable to defeat different groups while you put all this in perspective? There was a time when it was enjoyable for us brown guys to defeat the white guys on the latter’s personal sport. It remains to be enjoyable, however these days of defeating the ‘lagaan’ collectors are lengthy gone. This will not be to remove from the arduous work of Indian cricket gamers who give their life, blood and sweat for the sport. This is extra about us, the Indian sports activities fan, taking a look at different superior issues which might be occurring in Indian sport other than cricket.

The competitors is intense on the Olympics and the Asian Games. India is commonly at an obstacle in contrast to in Indian cricket the place we have now an enormous useful resource benefit in opposition to the competitors. And but, our new budding stars have shined. Hats off to them, and to the massive efforts of personal organisations, authorities our bodies, coaches and workers which have labored relentlessly to make this magic occur.

It is, nonetheless, time now for us, Indian sports activities followers, to do our bit. We ought to put up about these different sports activities and their athletes on our social media feeds. We should learn up or watch interviews of those gamers, and focus on them in our workplace breaks with different colleagues. We must attend non-cricket sporting occasions or watch them on TV every time we will. That, in flip, will translate into extra advertiser and sponsorship cash for non-cricket sports activities, which can additional enhance efficiency. This constructive loop is simply doable if Indian viewers give these new sports activities some actual consideration and love.

Sporting victories are extra than simply moments of nationwide delight. When we see an Indian with a humble background obtain one thing on a world stage, it provides us hope. A handful of medals can encourage a billion-plus individuals. India’s time in different sports activities has come; it’s time we give it an extra push.

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