India is a cricket crazy nation we all knew that, but what Indian Premier League season five has shown is that this craze is going up at a massive race. The cash-rich league ended on 27th but the IPL fever just not does not seem to die, as Kolkata city is still celebrating their team winning the domestic cricket league.

India won the cricket world cup last year and even that did not created the buzz that this IPL has done. The political leaders have joined the players and the owners, making it seem like it is a victory that they have been waiting to see from generations. It is fast turning out to be the celebration of the century, but the question that arises is that is it really such a big deal. Around 10-12 nation plays this game and IPL is a domestic league of one such nation. Indians were already obsessed with cricket and the obsession has grown since the time IPL hit the nation.

One has to understand that cricket is not the only sport in the world and the level of competition in other sports is much higher then what it is in cricket. There is nothing wrong with a team celebrating its win and their supporters joining them, but people in the extravaganza should not forget the other Indian players who have been striving hard for the coutry for long.

Yesterday, one of the India’s best sportsperson of all time, Viswanathan Anand won his fifth World Chess Championship; he is in the papers today, but for how long? He has achieved unimaginable feats in chess, but he still does not get the attention compared to an IPL hero. Everyone wants that people should praise ones accomplishments and that is one thing that is lacking in India.

Players like Leander Paes are only in the news when they win a grand slam. Paes has done that 13 times but he still is not getting the attention that he deserves. People talk about him when he wins the finals and no one really cares to follow his entire campaign or what he do to keep himself going at the age of 39 in one of the most demanding sports.

London Olympics is just round the corner, India’s team look strong, players have been training hard for the ultimate test of their playing skills, but how many people care about them. People in India might not be knowing who all are going to represent the nation in the mega event. They will only come to know the names when one of them wins a medal.

But, what’s the reason behind that, why other sports don’t get 10 percent of the attention that cricket gets, is it the media, is the money or is it the administration. It’s not that we Indians do not want to support other players it is just that we don’t know how to do that.

No one telecasts a boxing match that includes Indian boxers competing with world’s best when they play outside India; the same is the case with wrestling. Until and unless these players are in the news how could one expect the people in India to cheer for them?

Look at Indian hockey, Indian men displayed some great skills to qualify for the Olympics, the whole nation celebrated with them and it looked that hockey will regain its lost stature. World Series Hockey followed the qualifiers and due to a rift between two organizing committees the competion did not click. The series that could have added to the support to hockey, gets struggled to get any support. The initiative was good but the end result was disappointing.

IPL celebration shows that people in India do enjoy sporting success, but what we need to do is just make them know that there are other sports ad individuals who will do good if they get the same support. India’s performance in world stage is improving and the players can do wonders if they will have the feeling that there are people back home who are praying for their success are waiting to celebrate it with them.


By Indian Sports News Network