It's Time To Look beyond Cricket

It's cricket here and there- the cricket-mania never ceases to amaze me. The frenzied Indians have not yet come out of their celebration mode. And the biggest extravaganza of cricket- the IPL has now entered its 4th season. Strange the nation never gets tired of one thing- a passion that binds the entire nation, the only sport which arouses the patriotism and nationalistic ardour of the Indians, a religion which devours a billion with joy, pride and a feeling of being at the top of the world- CRICKET.

THE MOMENT OF LIFE!

2nd April, 2011- A 28 year drought finally ended. The Men In Blue were crowned as the champions thus becoming the first host nation to win the coveted Cup in the history of the sport. It was indeed, the ultimate moment of every Indian's life which washed away all the nightmares of previous failures and instilled a hope, a belief that Indians do know what it takes to be world beaters. Tears flowed down every cheek - nationalism was palpable. The nation could not impede itself from wearing its heart on its sleeves.

THE STARK REALITY

I have been tagged as anti-national many a times but I would reiterate my stand against the doling out of money by various corporates and governments to the magnificent eleven. We won the World Cup, but what's next? Does our capability halt there? All the sporting superpowers measure their potential in terms of their position in the Olympics medal tally, or for that matter, a World Cup soccer victory or a complete nurturing of sporting talent starting from athletics to badminton to tennis. No doubt, these cricketers deserve honor but what's there for those whose passion lies in hockey or football? What's the future of a budding tennis player in India who does not belong to an affluent family? Cricket has become the identity of the nation and it is highly unlikely that any aberration is on the cards. The successful commercialization of cricket has propelled the corporate giants to pump more and more wealth into the sport regardless of the sorry state of other games in the nation.

Showering money on the already rich mass and treating them as GODS indeed pose a serious roadblock to the development of a strong sporting culture in the nation. We are still in a fix as what's our national game is. Just like the China and the United States, let us endeavor for being not only an economic superpower but also a sporting superpower too.