Can any other sport parallel India's religion called Cricket?

Religion is a collection of cultural systems and beliefs that drive you towards peace and happiness, and over the years, cricket has managed to do exactly that.

For a nation that has been marred with endless social and economic problems over the years, sports has often been a safe resort to rest their existing troubles; a significant source of pride and self-esteem in the midst of disarray elsewhere.

Therefore, it is not for no reason that the Indians consider the game of cricket as their “religion”. Religion is a collection of cultural systems and beliefs that drive you towards peace and happiness and cricket, for the first time, was managing to do exactly that.

When Kapil Dev‘s underdogs lifted the world cup in 1983, the country was on verge of a mini-decline. Economy and social harmony were certainly not at their peak and even if one would keep these ‘external’ aspects aside, the country was not particularly achieving greatness in sports either.

The near invincible hockey team, that pocketed six consecutive Olympic gold medals between 1928 and 1956, and another two in 1964 and 1980, had just about entered the phase that today, as we all know, has turned out to be one of the biggest declines in modern sports.

Back in football, India’s golden generation of the 50s and the early 60s were well past by the year of 1980. The country was no longer a premier force in the continent and despite the Asia Cup qualification in 1984, India failed miserably in the tournament, giving the fans very little to cheer about.

India was never a nation which was outstanding in athletics and other sports involving heavy physical capabilities and in that very period, there weren’t any imminent signs of change either.

So in a way, at a very trying time for the nation, cricket provided the only reason to cheer about. Therefore, the fact that the sport has come up to be a “Religion” today is no surprise, in fact a very understandable outcome.

After all these years of dominance, can any other sport actually dethrone cricket to occupy the honour of the being a religion of the nation? Cricket has provided the results, and therefore, are deservedly at the top. Is it now impossible to catch up for other sports?

Football – Some of us would have this immediate answer coming up in our minds. Well, to an extent they are not particularly wrong. A recent survey by a reputed Indian newspaper revealed that in the past year while 170 million people watched cricket, they were closely rivaled by 155 million football watchers. Never before had the figures been so close!

The past decade has seen an emerging generation of fans pledging their loyalties towards the European brand of football, partly because of the increased coverage of the game in the country. So, that has eventually led to rising popularity of the game itself!

However, being a religion isn’t exactly a reflection how popular the game is. It is about having a wider perception, with a stress on the indigenous brand as well. While these football fans are as passionate as perhaps anyone, Indian football lies exactly where it was 20 years ago. So, how can football possibly be a religion of a nation, when the very “Indian game” is neglected and looked down upon?

However, it is not that the European influence is of no use at all. Unlike other sports in the chasing pack, football now has an existing fan following, and while it is a harsh reality that the others can never catch up with cricket, football does have the potential because of this.

It is far more easier to divert a part of attention towards Indian football from the existing followership than to create the “followership” from scratch, as is the case with other sports such as hockey, badminton etc.

It is mere guidance that is required in case of football, rather than a whole new revolution and that gives the game a head-start.

Football is certainly not a religion today, nor will it be in the near future, but say in a decade if any other sports does have the potential to parallel cricket, it is the “beautiful game” of football!