Sports in general have seen growth and rising interest over the years but if there is one discipline that has witnessed an exponential jump, then it has to be cricket. Be it in content, popularity, fortunes and reach, this sport of bat and ball has simply moved away high above the rest and there is no knowing where this multi-crore sport is heading to! Unbelievable has been the rise and little wonder that other sporting disciplines should look like poor cousins of cricket for such is the wide chasm. Imagine this was a sport that once used to be viewed with a leisurely setting for no lover of cricket then would look forward to a slam-bang festival but a dour display of skills of the bat and ball. Somebody like the English legend Ken Barrington typified this. The way he would take hours to pile up runs was one aspect but his defence-oriented play was acknowledged for its solidity. The English great was a master of concentration and one who would never easily give up the crease! Cut to the present times and in particular the T20 variety of cricket and the wide difference comes to the fore and also provides the key to modern cricket that triggers gala time like never before.

It’s the evolution seen in cricket that had made the change, from a sport steeped in tradition and beliefs to a free-flowing sport which caught the imagination of sports lovers no end. Add to that performances too and we realise why India is far ahead. It is a sight to see young and old go up on their feet enjoying the sight of the ball flying into the crowd in the stadium or a fielder making incredible efforts to latch on to a catch. No wonder cricket has an audience now, a mass base that can be an envy of several other sports for such is the nature of limited-over cricket. From entertainment to a frenzy, as they say. That is why Indian cricket today has a 14-year old like Vaibhav Suryavanshi striding into the men’s world with performances that can be only termed as stunning. The youngster is already a millionaire and this is just the beginning. Suryavanshi showed nothing he does is a flash in the pan but incredible talent to strike the ball as he willed and with effect. The young man it must be mentioned here starred in India’s recent U-19 world success with deeds that have never been seen before. Now IPL awaits this young grand master to lighten up further!

This is where BCCI had played a great role, in harnessing the rich returns from the increasing popularity of cricket not only to strengthen its financial stability but that of players too. Gone are the days when parents would think twice in allowing their children to take an over the board interest in cricket at the cost of studies. Modest allowances and struggles were the initial norm for cricketers but all that has changed or rapidly changing to make people think of a cricket career like any high paying professional career. And here again it is not just the established national stars who benefit but those who have done or continue to do duty for states and other areas of cricket matters. Nobody talks of financial struggle among cricketers now and one basic reason has been the coming of the T20 version in particular earlier in this millennium and the spin off thereafter of the IPL! Today this IPL is not just one of the world’s popular leagues but the richest as well.

In the aftermath of the IPL, professional leagues have come in other sporting disciplines in the country like Kabaddi and football. How far they have gone ahead is not clear but In general it can be said the interest for multi sports have gone up. For all this, performances form the key element. Take for instance the deeds of Neeraj Chopra. The javelin man shot into fame with an Olympic gold and there is no looking back for this Indian. He has set a benchmark and effectively it brought Indian athletes too into closer focus to sponsorship portfolios. As the Olympics gold medallist and ace shooter Abhinav Bindra puts it, today there was no dearth of money in sports in the country. With increased infrastructure allotment and also for training and academies etc, India’s sports scenario can get a lot rosier. As Jay Shah, the former BCCI chief and now the Chairman of International Cricket Council put it, Indian sports can pick a leaf from Cricket and with long-term planning bring about a great future.

So as fans get ready after the recent T20 World cup, for the next cricket extravaganza, the IPL from March end to May, one thing is clear. In addition to the entertainment that the world’s best names will bring to this competition, the look out from India’s point of view would be for more Suryavanshi’s and the like! IPL forms the provider and the ten teams and the 84 matches they feature in will go a long way in scripting another delightful story for Indian cricket. There is much that other sports could do to catch up.

© Mathrubhumi English