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Is cricket fading in India?
Cricket is often referred as a pseudo-religion in India. But is it’s popularity fading? It is a pivotal question as far as sports business is concerned in India. I presume 80% of the total population would be mad cricket fans. Despite not being the national sport, it has been extolled to a number one spot. Every kid, who is born in India, dreams of being a cricketer.
My likeness for cricket was at its peak in the 90s. That was the very decade when we used to acknowledge the real beauty of it. We had a bundle of sterling players likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Mohammed Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and many others. The way these players would exude their talent was magnificent. They had a blend of skill and class. Technicality was the buzz word then. The sport has changed a lot over the last few years. It is more of a speed game now. Scoring and winning is the only thing that matters after the inclusion of the T20 format.
The game has been more entertaining, but it is no more classy. Play one game, get paid a hefty amount. It has become completely money-oriented. It has entangled into the influence of money. Money is abounding and dominates. One of the reasons for its disintegration is that it is being played more often. And if people experience the same thing time and again, obviously, they lose interest and would demand aberration.
Entry of other sports
Today’s kids are not shy of adopting other sports.
India has opened its doors for other sports through several leagues. Indian Super League (ISL) is helping Indian football players immensely. Top players from across the world are passing on their knowledge of the game to youngsters.
Indian Badminton League (IBL) has helped young Indian players rise up the ranks on the world stage.
Champions Tennis League (CTL) and International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) have been a huge hit in India. Kabaddi saw the Pro-Kabaddi League and the World Kabaddi League enthral masses across the nation.
