Cricket a Threat to Other Games

Is Cricket’s massive appeal in India at the cost of other sports? ‘Cricket is a religion in India’- a powerful statement that would bring a smile on all cricket lovers in India. However, rarely expressed is the other side of the coin – an issue of one man’s extreme popularity killing the very identity and existence of all other players in the mix.
No Doubt that the game’s popularity has brought glory to millions of fans residing in India and worldwide, has instilled a sense of pride even in non-cricket-following Indian audiences…whenever the country has won, it has brought laurels to the nation, elation to Indian people from all age groups- be it a tiny toddler who craves for sixes from Sachin and Sehwag’s bat and or the keen cricket follower who deeply understands the nuisances of the game and gets elated whenever the little master,  Sachin crosses yet another milestone.
But these cricket-savvy arguments rarely bring to light the other dark picture… While cricket’s popularity has increased in India at a exponential rate, the fortunes of the other games has fallen to new lows. Hockey –our national game , in which India was considered a super-power has degraded so quickly that team India had failed  to even qualify for the Olympics-the international sporting event in which India won medals in its golden era of hockey. It’s a pity that many international games like Motor-racing, Formula 1 races, golf, tennis, Athletics, gymnastics, swimming etc. on’t even find an Indian representation…. But the key question is? Is cricket responsible for this…The arguments are endless both in favor and against this argument. The supporters will say that all games have their separate, non-intersection identities, interests, fan-following and popularity scales…how come we attribute other sport’s losses on cricket’s gains… The critics will respond by equally strong arguments-if all the financial aids, funds, sponsors will be consumed by the ‘cricket’ giant ,wont the other games be starved of existence…

The conclusion is not easy to draw and one possible solution is to focus on aggressive advertisement of other sports, by roping in  government aids,  big corporate sponsors, the media and broadcasting people, the games’ iconic players as ambassadors etc… Maybe someday we can produce our own version of  a Michael Schumacher or a Roger Federer…but for now cricket remains the undisputed king of Indian sports!! View point 2: Cricket dates back to 1721 in its trace in India, where it is more than a religion today.
Being called a gentlemen game, it attracts millions of people all over the world. The popularity it pulls in the public made it a crazy game dominating any other game in India. Neither any game sustains nor collects popularity or spins the money as the cricket does. Because of this popularity other sports are ignored in our country that is about to extinct due to lack of proper encouragement from public and government. This dominance of cricket makes other games to feel low and the sportsmanship suffered inferiority complex in other areas.
Arguments towards cricket We can’t blame one game for the fall of other game as there is nothing in game; everything is in the mind of people who enjoy the game. Cricket being craziest game is definitely a stylish and gentlemen game which at any cost shouldn’t be tagged with a line, “cricket is a curse for other games” which is more than religion in our country. Indian cricket has a history of holding many records often which are not easy even for the founders of the game. Though it is a lucrative game, it doesn’t mean there ends the professionalism.
It is played at its standards and always allured millions of people across the world not only shaping the careers of youth but also earning them prestigious awards and rewards from the game and through endorsement. Popularity that cricket has is due to the influence which has been made by great cricketers like Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and many legendary performers. It is also the most favourite time pass for Indian youth and helps the nation to achieve integrity. Sponsors through advertisement help in boosting the economy and provide good business opportunities.
Coaching centres and sports shops are established for cricket which helps them as a form of self employment. Arguments against cricket Cricket is posing threat to other games in India due it its mass popularity and makes the other sportsman suffer for their contributions. Government never supports such activities; and even if it supports will surely undermine the capacity by withdrawing the facilities provided for other sports. Cricket is a game of money, and nothing like professionalism exists in it. Youth pursue this game as profession for fame and money and the popularity it has among the mass.
Players never show much attention once they are placed in national team. They will try to make fortune from the sponsors and other facilities provided. Betting is other area from which cricketers get easy money without playing game and has been in news for many matches which now brought the public to which match should be believed whether it is not fixed or fixed. Media hypes the game undermining the potential of other games and politicians do interfere to get their piece of cake in the dirty money making business. No professionalism, no sincerity. Money is the only purpose around which the game revolves.