India is home to a variety of cultures and traditions, and sports culture is one of the oldest among them. Sport has always successfully brought a large number of the population united together on one side of the spectrum in India. There are several instances when Indians come together as a nation to support a common cause, and sporting events are one of those events. Indians are always engaged in celebrating the matches, and here are the top most popular sports in India that people love to watch, play and place bets on sbobet.
Top 5 Popular Sports In India
1) Cricket
No doubt, cricket is one of the most popular sports in India that holds the interest of worldwide viewers. Cricket is not just a game; it’s an emotion for Indians, and cricketers have a huge fan base than any other country on the earth. Sachin Tendulkar, the former cricketer, is considered the ‘God of cricket’, and such lifetime achievements have been rarely seen in other sports around the world.
The game was invented by the Britishers and adopted by India with love. It consists of 11 players on each team and played on a 22-yard field. Also called a gentleman’s game that teaches us about discipline.
The story of popularity started in the 1983 World Cup held in England and team India of that time won by defeating West Indies, a two times world champion. India was the second team to become a world champion by breaking the continuity of the West Indies. Kapil Dev and his team had become an overnight sensation and formed the base of the Indian Cricket team at an international level.
By now Indian Cricket Team has created an unbreakable history and become the most-watched game in India. Not only men’s but women’s team is also taking place in the heart of Indian people by their outstanding performance at the global level.
2) Football
Football, which is the most popular sport globally, is a mystery in India. As of now, football is predominantly a spectator sport. India was once called the “sleeping giant” of the football world by Sepp Blatter, former FIFA president. While the ISL has a sizable fan base in India, the immense popularity of European club leagues is the foundation of football’s popularity in the country.
Currently, the Indian football team is ranked 105th in the global position if we consider the population and the demographics of several other countries that have qualified for the World Cup in recent years. The failure of Indian football teams to qualify even once for the World Cup can be considered a big professional and institutional failure of the football associations in India.
The large followings of European leagues in major states of India can be considered the only reason for the sport’s popularity. And many famous European teams, like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, have specialized fan groups even in India.
Though the Indian team failed to gain popularity, football is the most viewed game. Thousands of football fans track football results on Buaksib.
3) Badminton
Badminton is a popular sport among the general public but never gained popularity internationally. However, the game slowly started catching fire over the last few decades, and it was the year 2012 when a well-known sports personality in today’s time won the first bronze medal in London Olympics.
Yes, it is Saina Nehwal who made us proud by winning the medal in the Olympic games for the first time in Badminton.
The story didn’t end here, as, in 2016, PV Sindhu won a silver medal at the Rio Olympics and proved that Badminton is not only a general sport but a name that can be made in this field. Other shutters who have brought him major honours include K Srikant, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponnappa, and yesteryear giants Prakash Padukone and Pulella Gopichand, in addition to Olympic medals.
All these stories inspired many Indians who started considering it a serious sport. Now many people in India love to play Badminton, and many of them pursue it as a career option.
4) Kabaddi
While several sports in India, such as Badminton and hockey, would have taken a step back a few years ago, Kabaddi has reclaimed its place as one of the most popular sports in the country.
With the unexpected rise of the Pro-Kabaddi League (PKL), which is conducted annually in several locations across India, Kabaddi has gained mainstream recognition among the traditional sports of India.
The PKL became India’s second most popular league in 2014, which is just next only to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kabaddi is positioned well to boost audiences in rural areas of India. Due to its clear appeal and establishing new viewers who are steadily learning more about the sport. Kabaddi has created a strong viewer base and a set of willing sponsors.
At present, India and Iran are the two world’s best kabaddi teams. Until 2017, India has created records and won all Kabaddi World Cups and international tournaments.
5) Hockey
Hockey is another popular game but still struggling to reclaim its popularity among the Indian audience. But the scenario wasn’t the same earlier. You will be surprised to know that the Indian Hockey team was the strongest team in the world. Under the leadership of Dhyan Chand, the team once dominated the international player and consecutively received eight gold medals in the Olympics. That was the time when no team wanted to strike from India, and the hockey team became no.1 there.
Now you might be curious to know; why Indian Hockey went so down in terms of popularity?
Well, it all started with the new rules that included installing an artificial playing area and cemented surfaces, which proved to be a stumbling block for Indian players who were seasoned in playing on natural grass surfaces. To make the scenario even worse, constant internal fights in the hockey federation resulted in the slow collapse of Indian hockey. Taking the advantage, teams like Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany came up to India’s dominance.
Still, hockey has its own fan base and is played in various parts of the country with great enthusiasm. Slowly India is trying hard to catch the same popularity, but the path is so long to gain the same respect.
Conclusion
In a country replete with complexity and depth, sports in India provide a refreshingly simple and thrilling experience. Every Indian, whether a cricket, football or other sports lover, looks forward to the opportunity to witness an unadulterated and genuine spectacle.
