Indian Cricket Killing Other Sports: A Brutal Misconception

Scribe Written on November 16, 2008

(Page 2 of 2)

The Emergence of Talent in Cricket

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.

The present Indian team mainly consists of players from small towns.

India had more stars in cricket than any other sport. This did not help those sports. 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.

Whereas Tendulkar and Dravid were great and had no equals.

The Press

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 Physique and Climate

This in an important factor. The Indians do not take to basketball because of height factor. It may not matter physically but it surely does psychologically.

In most parts of India, with the exception of north and northeast, the climate is very hot. Children are not allowed by their parents to run much in those trying conditions. Here again only one game fits. It's no small wonder that most footballers emerge only from northeast.

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

But then sport has no barrier. Yes! Hidden somewhere in some orthodox Indian home, is a star sportsman (a la Ronaldinho or Federer or Kobe or Phelps) just waiting for an opening.

God save that star. God save Indian sport.

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