India is home to a number of sports and it has produced many worldclass champions who have brought innumerable laurels to the country. But unfortunately, from their perspective, no sports personalities attracts as much adulation and fan following as the cricketers, even at the lower rungs of the spectrum.
The saying, “In India, Cricket is a religion and Sachin is God” is one which graces every Indian household and is etched in the hearts of many Indian kids forever. They grow up playing gully cricket, yet ensuring that they never miss a game being telecast live.
While the average Indian cricket fan is content to catch up with his favourite game on the telly, the crazy ones throng in their thousands to stadiums, no matter how much time they have to spend beneath the blazing sun. Some grow up to become professional cricketers even.
Whatever it might be, one thing is for certain – they make sure to follow their favourite cricketers wherever they go, no matter what. The Gentleman's Game might have been born in England, but it breathes it's most colourful life thanks to this cricket crazy nation that follows it day in day out no matter what and where.
Castrol Activ’s Actibonds help cling on to the engine and help the vehicle perform better. In the same way, the Indian fans' support inspires the team to cling on to victory.
Here are five reasons why the Indian cricket fans are the best in the world:
#1 When cricket's on, everything comes to a standstill
No matter how important an exam or meeting one has on the next day, the Indian cricket fan takes the time out to keep tabs on his favourite team's match. He will make all necessary plans to finish off every pending work by the time the match starts and even if it is an unavoidable situation that forces him to miss the match on TV, you can bet that he will be following it with the same passion listening to the radio commentary or scrolling on the cricket app on his mobile.
As the magnitude of the matches increases, so does the intensity level in the country as a whole. The deserted roads of Mumbai when India took on Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup semifinal is a testimony to this statement and proves the importance the Indian public attributes to the game of cricket.
#2 They follow the Men in Blue everywhere
No matter how small a match, if it's a game of cricket, there will be a sizeable crowd in attendance for sure. Of course, as the importance of the match increases so does the number of people queuing up for the tickets. So much so that match tickets for India's matches at the ongoing World T20 matches are being made available by means of a lucky draw.
A fully packed Eden Gardens is a guarantee for any India match but the love for the Men in Blue goes beyond the geographical boundaries. The images of a jampacked MCG with a sky of blue during the 2015 World Cup are one which will remain etched in the memories forever and proof enough of the fan following the Indian team commands from the legion of fans world over.
#3 Unparalleled devotion and love for the game
Every cricket match in India is a virtual sell out with tickets getting sold out as soon as they are made available on most occasions. Yet the Indian fans will go to all ends to make sure they catch their favourite cricketers in action.
From rooftops of buildings adjacent to the stadium to the dangerous extremes of climbing precarious looking trees, from jostling for space in front of TV showrooms when the matches are on to opting for expensive 3G packs to watch the matches seamlessly, the Indian cricket fan will ensure that he doesn't miss even a single ball of the action.
#4 Loud and proud
When Team India plays, all stadiums will sure shot be jampacked, especially if its a T20 or ODI. The same applies to IPL games as well, wherever the matches are being played. Adding to the pitch will be fans sporting their love for their favourite cricketers in vivid displays. 'The Yellow man' as MS Dhoni calls him and the ever present Sudhir Kumar Choudhary are prime examples as to how the Indian cricket fans love to display their love for the game.
And it's not just restricted to painting all over the body. They are vocal and scream on top of their voices at the fall of every opposition wicket and cheer for every six and four . Of course, it is pin drop silence when it's the opposition on top. Yet, the way the fans sing and cheer in unison for Team India is outstanding. The fans singing 'Vande Mataram' while India was closing in on victory during the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede and more recently against Pakistan at the Eden Gardens is sure to give everyone goosebumps every time one hears it.
#5 Genuine cricket lovers
There might have been a few instances where a section of unruly fans interfered and stopped the proceedings of a match, but in general, the Indian public loves their cricket, no matter whom they support. They acknowledge brilliant performances even from the opposition and greet such instances with a warm applause even if it means India ending up at the losing end.
They love cricketers who play with a smile on their face. The chants of “AB, AB” ring wild and loud everytime South Africa's De Villiers comes onto bat no matter where he plays in India and the love Australia's Brett Lee has received over the years is proof that the Indian fans will acknowledge any cricketer who has resonated with their love for the game.
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