Cricket is a religion that brings people together like no other, especially in a country like India, which supports different religions as part of its secular constitution.
Some consider hockey to be the country’s national Lotus365 IPL; nevertheless, cricket is the number one sport in terms of fan following, and by a wide margin. Cricket is India’s religion, with millions of devoted devotees. Men in Blue are adored by die-hard cricket fans, and their celebrity dwarfs that of any other star.
There aren’t many people in India who haven’t been touched by the magnetism of this sport, whether they’re a toddler taking his first steps as a sportsperson or an elderly man nearing the end of his life. People arrange their activities, vacations, and travel after reviewing the India National Cricket Team’s calendar.
It Aids in the Formation of Relationships
Cricket is also the quickest way to make friends with an Indian. No matter where one goes in India, one can always find a group of kids playing cricket with zeal.
It was frequently stated that cricket is fading in England, its birthplace. However, with England winning the 2019 World Cup, things may have changed, but can they equal the following cricket has in India? Doubtful. Cricket appears to have lost its luster even in the West Indies. Aside from the T20 frenzy, countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, and even a major country like South Africa have a small cricket fan base.
No such issues for Indians, who continue to follow the game and elevate it to a higher level. In fact, with the creation of the enormously popular Indian Reddy Anna Exchange, cricket fever has reached whole new heights of renown and glory.
Cricket is popular among sponsors
Cricket draws a lot of sponsors due to its great popularity in India. Furthermore, India plays more matches than most other cricketing countries, with each game being followed as if it were a ritual.
Nobody would expect to see any empty seats at a stadium while a game is being played. Apart from India’s international games, domestic events such as the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, and Duleep Trophy are also popular. All of these factors contribute to the BCCI becoming the richest cricket board in the world. This cricket-crazy nation generates the majority of the ICC’s earnings.
Cricket has no sacred scriptures, but there are various Gods or great cricketers who fans look up to, from Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev in the past to MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in more recent times.
Tendulkar’s Factor
“If cricket is a religion, Sachin is God,” as the cliché goes. Almost every cricket fan idolizes Sachin Tendulkar, who is considered as a living legend.
In addition to these Gods, the religion of cricket incorporates festivals in the form of triumphs. Every Indian victory is greeted and celebrated as if it were a festival. But there is another viewpoint. When India loses a match, it is viewed as a national tragedy, resulting in widespread criticism of both players and selectors. Sometimes the criticism is too harsh, resulting in multiple adjustments and resignations.
There have been a few ugly events recorded following shock losses, such as the 1996 World Cup semifinal loss to Sri Lanka, when fans tossed bottles on the ground and caused the match referee to call the game off.
More intriguingly, India is unquestionably one of the world’s most diversified countries. The country has a billion inhabitants and more than 20 different languages and dialects. The lifestyle and culture vary greatly across the country, but if there is one thing that connects the country without a hitch, it is cricket.
To put things in context, cricket is what soccer is to England (or football is to the United States). Even though cricket is a sport that we learned from the British during their colonial control, we Indians gave it a new name and meaning.
The chances of running into a group of children (or adults) playing cricket on the streets in any section of the country are significantly higher than you speaking their language. And that isn’t even a worry since as long as you can hold a bat and pitch a ball, you will be invited to play.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of the Following
Because cricket is a religion in India, every major victory by the national team is celebrated with considerable pomp and circumstance. On the occasion of every major final match, the streets are desolate, and when we win, they light up like the Diwali celebration. On the other hand, every major defeat is scrutinized, often leading to criticism of the players and the selection committee.
Cricket, like any other religion, has multiple Gods in India. Tendulkar, the retired international batsman who now has a wealth of records with him, is the most notable. Regardless of their love of the game, every Indian understands who Tendulkar is and what he represents.
Furthermore, the Indian Premier League, also known as the IPL, has been a huge success with fans. The competition is now in its 13th season, and it appears to be growing in size year after year.
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