Short end of the hockey stick

Indians have always been enthusiastic about cricket. But in the process, other sports have been neglected. The country’s junior hockey team won the bronze at the recent Sultan of Johor cup, but has not won over a proportional number of fans. Students share their views.

Suryansh Agarwal, I B.B.A., Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai

Cricket is the most loved game in the country. I think this is because the recent generation has seen the cricket team do much better than the hockey team. That might be a reason why Kohli was celebrated more than the hockey team even when the junior hockey team won bronze at the Sultan of Johor cup. People in the country love cricketers. So unfortunately, no other sport takes the limelight.

Honeyshya, II B.A. Political Science (Hons.), Miranda House, New Delhi

As a tennis player, I feel neglected because the game is not as popular as cricket. Most other sports are not given any importance. People should learn to accept players from all sports. Even the recognition for badminton lasted only during the Olympics. The junior hockey team, was not at all recognised by us.

All sports deserve the same efforts and dedication that we put into cricket.

Shweta Pandey, III B.A. English (Hons.), Janki Devi Memorial College, New Delhi

In India, cricket is an over-hyped sport with a massive monetary value attached to it. It is a religion preached by millions of people. Cricketers are treated like gods. They assert a massive influence on the public. The achievements of Indian hockey teams are less talked about than even Virat Kohli’s hairstyle. Hockey is a neglected sport even in the country where it is has a rich history.

Sahil Sareen, I M.Sc. Mathematics and Computing, IIT Guwahati

With every major sport now getting a professional league, there is a rise in acknowledgement of other sports amongst youth. Still, there are many issues at the grass roots. Institutes need to start spending more on other sports in terms of facilities, equipment, and coaches in order to reduce the hype surrounding cricket. They need to start giving equal importance to all sports.