The ecstasy and jubilation of the World Cup victory is here to stay. The IPL season has kicked off and cricket's grandest carnival continues. Nonetheless, at the risk of sounding anti-national and even blasphemous, let me assert that cricket is a major stumbling block to the emergence of India as an international front runner in sports.
This ‘gentlemen's game' takes us back to the past, binding us to the same old opponents year after year. It has made us a regional prisoner, stopping us from looking beyond our own subcontinent. It is becoming increasingly profit-driven, something that's taking away from the true essence and integrity of the game.
A dream come true
The euphoria that followed the 2011 World Cup victory in the country was undeniable. The glorious run-up to the World Cup was a dream come true for every Indian. The win against Australia established that India had arrived as a serious contender for the World Cup, and we (the people) were elated at having got a ‘sweet revenge' for the prejudices Indians in Australia had suffered in recent times. The victory over Pakistan established that we were a “don't mess with us” kind of nation. The triumph of winning the coveted cup, we hope, would put us on top of the world in a way no other conquest apparently would.
The World Cup win, by releasing the pent-up emotions, was in some way a catharsis — and a cocktail of relief, pride and nationalism, coming as it did after months of scam after scam hitting the headlines. This had injected an element of self-doubt in Indians about India as a power of the future. Starting with the Commonwealth Games scam, and political skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard incessantly, many felt a sense of shame as nothing seemed to be going right, and Indians saw the rapacious loot by greedy politicians in collusion with industry honchos and corrupt bureaucrats. In contrast, the Boys in Blue affirmed that excellence was possible with ‘self-belief' and hard work.
Such is the power of cricket, the sport that not only provides great entertainment but also the adrenaline rush that comes with ‘feeling' pride and patriotism. This is the time when the entire nation stands united. The social harmony that is a lost legacy resurfaces as a reminder that all is perhaps not lost. As long as cricket provides the glue, there is hope for the idea of India. However, this is the reflection of a nation that yearns for recognition and wants to look beyond its past failings and come out of its slumber.
Different reality
The reality, however, is quite different. If we want to compete with the world, we will have to play with the big guns. The developed nations we emulate and aspire to become have a strong presence in competitions like the Olympics—they fight against the rest of the world to qualify, and then they win medals. Russia, for instance, has long been recognised as a world power, but not recently in terms of military might or scientific advancement; rather, as a nation consistently near the top of the Olympic medal table. Now China, too, is not only an economic giant but also a sporting superpower — despite not playing cricket.
In the United States and across large parts of Europe, cricket is simply not a popular sport. A World Cup soccer victory, or a rich haul of Olympic golds is a real feat of success, as such competitions involve almost all nations.
For India, a country of 1.2 billion people, being the champion of cricket limits us to the status of a regional player confined to the boundaries of South Asia. Cricket remains a regional game, foreign even to most of Asia. England is the only serious player from Europe, and Australia the other notable country with loyalty to the game.
The corruption and profit involved in cricket mania in India are not adding to the game's reputation. Considering just how commercial the sport has become, it's likely that the powerful business lobby and corporates will continue to use all means at their disposal to keep cricket going no matter whether other sports flourish or not. The sheer selfishness surrounding the motivation to keep cricket going came out in a recent Cabinet decision that profits going to the International Cricket Council from the World Cup matches be tax-exempted. It's a move that is highly discouraging to other sports that need to fight for every penny to keep afloat.
So what would be the next best alternative for India to make an international mark in sports? Despite the continued popularity of cricket in India, football is gaining wider reach today. Whether it is Chennai in Tamil Nadu or Churchandpur in Manipur, the passion for football far surpasses the penchant for cricket. And the north-eastern States seem to have an inherent talent for it: players from the region occupy prime positions in every soccer league team in India. Sadly, however, no serious attempt is being made by the government or corporates to hone this talent.
Treating cricketers as gods weans away or discourages youngsters from playing other sports. The amount of money showered on the top cricketers and the gifts being doled out to the ‘Men in Blue' by the government and corporates serve as psychological discouragement for youngsters and their families, who want to pursue hockey, football or any other sport.
In the chase for cricket money, we're forgetting to build a national sports culture with character. Cricket isn't our national game, but it's been made a symbol of our nationalism. It's a sad commentary and reflection on our still limited worldview.
(The writer is Assistant Professor, SCND Khalsa College, University of Delhi. Email id: minnieroy@gmail.com)
