Guys, accept it. Cricket is not a global sport. It is properly played by some eight countries and another six-eight are still learning to play it. In fact, many teams have players who are of Indian and Pakistani origin. Remember Kenya? Opener Ravindu Shah, bowler Hiren Varaiya? Even New Zealand had Dipak Patel.
In comparison, tennis is a global sport. The fact that Indians haven’t done too well, especially in singles in recent years does not change this fact. So is football. In fact, if a Russian like Maria Sharapova did not know David Beckham but recognised Sachin Tendulkar, it would have been a real surprise.
Sachin Tendulkar is a legend. But unfortunately, in a sport which few countries consider very big, certainly not Russia.
The problem lies elsewhere. We are bad at all global sports and good only at cricket and badminton. Both aren’t global sports. In tennis, Leander and Mahesh have made us proud, but where are our singles champions? Over the years, we have lost our edge in hockey. We haven’t ever been a force to reckon with in football. There are talks that wrestling may be out of the next Olympics.
For a nation that boasts of over a billion people, our medals in Olympics make for a sorry reading. Our sports associations are marred with corruption scandals. And most of the administrators of the sports associations aren’t players who have competed at the global/state/local level. Just imagine this: If you don’t understand stock markets, can you get a job at a brokerage house? Obviously, no. But our politicians run almost every sports association.
I am reminded of a classic comment by a football association president after he was asked about his expertise: “I have played football in school. What is so difficult about it?” Still wondering why we don’t have a Maradona or Socrates?
In the absence of global heroes, we hang on to the ones we have. Sachin, obviously, qualifies big time because of his staggering numbers. More so, due to the dignity with which he has carried himself in the cricket field for over 20 years. Unfortunately, Vishwanathan Anand or Saina Nehwal don’t get the same respect.
Yes, I would be disappointed if Sharapova did not know Anand since he has fought some interesting battles with the two Russian greats – Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov. But again, she might not. I wonder how many Indians do...
