Cricket, a sport originated from the British during the mid-1600s. The Britishers took their traditional sport to their various colonies. Many people think that it is a game that consists of a bat and a ball but there is something more than a bat & a ball. Also, there is a reason behind considering it as one of the most complicated sports in the world. Its fielding placements, the ways of getting a batter out, the rules of the game, etc.
But when we come to India, many Cric-holics, just like me, consider it a religion. The main thing that continuously roams around my mind is how this most complicated sport became a religion and has a different fan base. So, let us dig in deep.
25th June 1983: The new chapter of Indian Cricket…
Perplexed right? Why did I write this date? Many cricket fans would recall this day as fast as a bullet. For those who might not know, this was the date when India won their first World Cup over the West Indies at Lords, England. During that time, many critics never expected an underdog nation like India to achieve such a feat on such a world platform. Thanks to the team captain, Kapil Dev, a.k.a The Haryana Hurricane, and the team, who made the impossible possible. That victory was the penultimate reason behind an exponential growth of a fan base and love for the sport in our country. And guess what, the next World Cup was hosted in India (1987), the first time out of England. And that gave birth to a religion called Cricket in India.
And guess what, a film is also under production on this glorious milestone, ‘83'. Written & directed by Kabir Khan where Ranveer Singh is playing the pivotal role of the Indian captain, Kapil Dev. This day marked the beginning of the rise of Indian Cricket and, of course, the new chapter of Indian Cricket.
The Legends…
Thanks to the Indian Cricket Team's victorious run in the 1983 World Cup, a separate fan base had its inception in our country. India was the first country to host the World Cup outside the home of the sport, England. As the title says it all, we have seen so many legends in the field of this sport, from our country itself- like Sunil Gavaskar, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, etc.
But there is one name that echoes every cricketing heart and the person who glorified the sport in India. He is none other than the legendary Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. The Shivaji Park nurtured prodigy was one of the youngest players entering into a cricketing field. He holds the highest number of records to his name, made by any cricketer. He is known as the God of Cricket for a reason. Even a person who might not be familiar with the sport will talk about Sachin Tendulkar. He is famously known as the Master Blaster. He is an evergreen favourite, and some people only tuned in to their sets to watch him bat. And that is the level of craze towards him. The moment where the whole cricketing fraternity was heartbroken was when Sachin Tendulkar played his last match, as he announced his retirement from all the formats. In the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, there was a test match between India & West Indies dated 16th November 2013. The stadium was jam-packed as everyone wanted to get a sight of their god playing for the one & last time. It was an emotional moment for everyone, for sure. It is a dream of every budding cricketer to become the next Sachin Tendulkar. But, no one can replace his level, as he is one of a kind. And once a legend said, Original is Original.
There are also many other favourites for every cricholic. Just like me, an ardent fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a.k.a Captain Cool. Whenever you ask someone about their favourite cricket player, they would vividly remember their innings or their wickets, which says it all.
The IPL…
The Indian Premier League, in short, IPL. This professional T-20 tournament is played in India every year, especially during the Indian Summer period. Currently, eight teams based on eight different Indian cities play against each other in the game. This tournament has redefined Indian Cricket. I will describe IPL in 3 words, Cricket, Entertainment, and Money.
It is evident that a tournament featuring almost all of the international stars can fetch you lots of fans and capital. This tournament was created & administered by Lalit Modi, of the BCCI, the wealthiest Cricket Board in the world. According to various stats and reports, the 2018 edition of the IPL contributed around US$ 6.3 billion, making it one of the wealthiest leagues in sports. In simple words, this tournament is MONEY!!! And till now, 13 editions have been successfully held, & the 14th edition is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Mumbai Indians has been the most successful team by winning the title 5 times.
This tournament is a boon for Indian Cricket which made the fan base in our country grow exceptionally. It also sets lines of demarcation within the Indian Cricket fans supporting their state or a different team and, of course, cheering their favourite player. Overall, IPL has been a part of every Cric-holic, and also, its fan base keeps on increasing day by day.
As they say, India is a country that celebrates cricket with pompous joy.
As we enter the final segment of this journal, this is not just a sport for everyone. It is an emotion. It is more than that. In India, gully cricket is predominant everywhere. Cricket played in the gullies, or some small patches of land, is known as gully cricket. If you play a game of gully cricket, it is pretty evident that they don’t follow the rules of a professional cricket match. These rules make the sport simple to play and enjoy, but it is one of the most complicated sports in the world. The fact behind getting inclined towards the sport is, it’s always welcoming. If you want to play a gully match, you can come and play with a group wherever you see them playing. If you are eager to talk & know more about the sport, you will find people to talk about it, and they would be pleased to speak to you.
We also see some budding & aspiring prodigies in this field. Think about it. Out of a 1.3 Billion population, only a mere 11 talented players get a chance to represent this beautiful country. We can hail our country as the Cricket Dreamland for the upcoming talent of the sport.
Kudos to all the sportsmen & sportswomen from any sport for their contributions to the sporting world but when it comes to a major tournament or against a strong opponent match of the Indian Cricket Team, that would be one of the best ways for people to pass out their day by supporting & admiring their team. Some call out for friends or family get-togethers to enjoy the match. Some go to restaurants or bars so that they can experience it on a big screen. Through this, we see many ardent & dedicated fans of the Indian Cricket team. And through this, we can see the craze of every Indian Cricket fan at every corner of the country.
The energy level of every Indian Cricket fan in a stadium is so high that no one can imagine the level of craze towards it. Whether it be a home match or an away match, the strength of the Indian fans remains consistent. Those loud cheers, patriotic background songs, adrenaline-packed fans, etc., are the main highlights of every stadium and thanks to the Indian Cricket fans who give total goosebumps. Oh, man! We are honoured to have this sport in our country. We celebrate with pompous joy when we win, and when we lose, we feel anguished and depressed the whole day but the love towards it will always remain the same, No Matter whether we Win or Lose.
