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The idea that Indian cricket is totally responsible for the non emergence of other sports is a brutal misconception. Cricket, many believe, takes the limelight and is the reason why other sports such as hockey, football and basketball are not developing..

Indian Cricket Killing Other Sports: A Brutal Misconception

by Nikhil Nadipelli (Scribe)

13

348 reads

Opinion

November 16, 2008


The idea that Indian cricket is totally responsible for the non emergence of other sports is a brutal misconception.

Cricket, many believe, takes the limelight and is the reason why other sports such as hockey, football and basketball are not developing. It surely is beautiful topic to debate on.

But, is cricket really responsible?

Many factors seem to be responsible...

 

The Passion for Cricket.

Blame this beautiful sport.

Every night, millions of children sleep dreaming about this wonderful sport they will be playing when the dawn breaks.

Every day, millions of hearts of young mother’s pain as their children forgo lunch to imitate their idols on the cricket field.

Every evening, millions of soap loving wives quarrel with their husbands who come home and relax by watching cricket. In every house, you will find a cricket bat and if the parents cant afford it, they just have to paint "MRF" on a piece of wood and give them. I am not complaining, just blame the sport.

 

The Culture

Unlike in other countries, sport in India is just an extra-curricular activity. Every parent insists that their child studies and become an engineer or a doctor. Sports take a back seat when the child completes the ninth grade with the focus shifting to studies and career. By nature, Indians like to be secured and do not take risk.

 

The Government

There is a sports Ministry in India, but only as an employment option for an MP (Member of Parliament).

They do nothing much to develop sport for they have time only for filling their bank accounts.

This leaves only the corporate world to sponsor and develop sports in India.

 

The Impact of the Corporate World

Every corporation’s final goal is to earn profits. And they venture only into profitable prospects.

In India, cricket seems to be the most profitable venture. We have no right to question their interests.

Author Poll

Is cricket killing other sports in India?

  • yes
  • no
  • cant say
vote to see results
Author Poll Results

Is cricket killing other sports in India?

  • yes

    50.0%

  • no

    42.9%

  • cant say

    7.1%
  • Total votes: 14
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13 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. sri harsha 7 months ago

    hi man,

    You are right.
    a perfect answer to all those people who blame cricket as the cause for all this .....

    That was the easiest excuse for them.... good one u get my potd

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  2. kvs prashanth 7 months ago

    nikhil,

    its time people just sit back and njoi cricket rather than criticize it.......

    nice thought dude

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  3. Rohini Iyer 7 months ago

    nice article nikhil....

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  4. Rohini Iyer 7 months ago

    you know, what you have written is in essence correct but my point is will it ever end? it seems to be like a vicious cycle. you know how the news channels operate, one match we win: thats it...for the next two days it will be breaking news and if by chance we lose, they don't even have the courtesy to appreciate the opponent;s victory...

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  5. Long John Silver 7 months ago

    i might have to disagree with most of yours mate - here is why

    1. corps making profits is a chicken-egg problem. sure you invest in cric becos it renders profits, but there are no other game present .... if they made profits those wud be invested as well .... cricket monopolises so much - that other games dont stand a chance
    --------------

    you wanna talk about why cricket isnt the reason why other sports dont grow - HOW does this substantiate that arguement - you are merely stating a fact ? this does nothing to say cric does not monopolise other sports

    The main sports page in Indian newspapers has but only Cricket news. Even the national football league has little coverage. Cricket is preferred to tennis and soccer. that’s what sells in India and therefore it's what the papers offer.

    --------------------------------

    The Indians do not take to basketball because of height factor.

    that does not matter - if you are playing in India, you are gonna be playing with other indians (meaning - they all are of the same height) - so height isnt a factor

    ------------------------

    Cricket officials did what no other sports committee did: They went into every corner of every village in India to find new talent, and they were quite successful.

    ha ha - who, tell me one person who goes from village to village doing this ? no way mate -

    -----------------------------------

    your culture and govt. sections - once again DOES NOT say why cricket isnt monopolising other sports ... you are once again stating facts, not arguments

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    it gets confusing and more confusing

    All the above factors play an important role in cricket overshadowing other sports.

    - you say this - but your title says the exact opposite, cricket killing other sports is a Mis-Conception ??

    ----------------

    Bhaichung Bhutia was good but he was no Ronaldinho. Bhupathi and Paes were talented but they were no Sampras and Federer. Sania is brave, but she is no Hingis.

    sure- but you arent giving them equal conditions that a federer or sampras of hingis trains in ...

    ------------

    cheers

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    • Nikhil Nadipelli 7 months ago

      thanks mate.

      i will only have to agree with ... i didnt do justice to the title...

      but then it is always easy to blame cricket for all this.... i made an attempt. I will surely come out later , when time permits with a better proof that cricket is not killin other sports... untill then .. it still stands...

      again thanks mate...

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  6. Shyam Parthasarathi 7 months ago

    I'm going with LJS on this one.. I blame the BCCI, which monopolizes all sport in India.. I simply cannot understand how cricket cannot be seen as something which inhibits the growth of other sports in India..

    In India, cricket is considered to be the only sport. Watch NDTV and their half an hour "sports" programme and when cricket is on.. it's half an hour of cricket.

    That's sports for you in India.

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  7. Nikhil Nadipelli 7 months ago

    hello

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