The Great Indian Cricket Fever

“If hockey is our national sport, then cricket is our national religion”.

Very true. Now, I may get criticized for saying this but I think cricket is the Great Indian Disease.

We should have vaccinations against it when we’re born, and a couple of boosters over the years, and voila … Immunized for life!

I am not saying there’s anything wrong with the sport.

I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t get excited every time India scores big or takes a wicket.

I do get out of my chair and jump crazily when we win a match.

It is a contagious disease after all. And if you were born in India, are 1/3rd Indian, or even lived in India for a year, you’re a victim.

You can’t help looking out the window, watching kids play gully cricket, or even join them for an over or two.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the game of cricket was played in India only by the elite. Cricket is a game for all. Today, cricket fever sweeps through India and the whole world.

So here I bring you, the symptoms of the Great Indian Cricket Fever:

If you’ve ever feigned sickness to stay home and watch an Indo-Pak match or the world cup finals, you’ve been infected. And the charade probably fell through the moment India got the first wicket and you jumped out of the chair in excitement.
If you’ve ever tuned into the commentary in the middle of an event, be it an office party, a wedding, or a fancy dinner. If you couldn’t resist tuning into the commentary on the radio, or checking espncricinfo.com on your smartphones, you, my friend, are a happy victim of Cricket Fever. (And no, ESPN hasn’t paid me to advertise here)
If you’ve been afraid to move during a match because you’re afraid that India might lose a wicket. So many times my grandfather tells me not to move because the last time someone moved a muscle, India lost a wicket!
You actually do get sick when India loses an important match (usually to Pakistan).
You’ve painted your face with Indian Flag colors on the day of “Important” matches. I’ve done that. Guilty!
If you’ve ever had the urge to fling keechad at Cricketers’ hoardings after they lost a match or played badly, you’ve got the fever BAD! You need severe detox!
If your entire family (including all mamas, chachas, taujis, and all their gharwaalas … basically your entire khandan and your neighbors) gather around one TV set watching the match, chewing their nails while binging on homemade Aloo Puri and Halwa, then you’re not even a victim or just a normal Indian with a greater-than-God love for Cricket.
If you put in crazy faith rituals like for team’s victory, you are definitely suffering from cricket fever.

Sitting in the same position for hours (saving even the bathroom visits) so that the game of cricket goes well?

You keep saying negative things about the game because the opposite of what you say happens. You don’t watch the live game because you think, whenever you watch the game, India loves.

If Team India wins while you were chomping on a packet of lays, then you make sure you always eat the same chips whenever India plays. Which one are you?

Wearing your lucky charm (be it a dress, a pendant, bracelet whatever) while Team India bats.

Or you prefer to not speak at all while the match is ongoing. So many such bizarre things, we, as fans, do to make sure our team wins.

We do believe that we have a contribution too to Team India’s win. Don’t we? 😉

Views on Cricket Fever in India

The spirit of Patriotism is what we bleed when India is in the stadium. It is what we cherish when India wins a game.

United we stand when there is a match! The heart pumps out the words “India”, the blood inside runs at a higher pace, the pulse rate reaches its maximum and the body jumps out cheering for our mother country!

What a spirit! What enthusiasm! The feeling is supreme, unfathomable! It was an exquisite scene to watch Indians at the time of the match.

The confidence reflects inside every Indian’s nerve. Still, it keeps people attracted to the TV.

Hence the love of cricket is inseparable from the Indians. The bond keeps growing with this sport!

India is a country of diverse cultures and religions but cricket is what brings us together. Cricket is a religion! And it’s a religion that is here to stay!

Excluding the urban areas, there are about 65 million people living in India’s rural areas, and the country’s most famous sportsmen are more popular than any movie star or pop singer.

You would find a Sachin, a Dhoni, and a Kohli in every gully cricket. Because we love to follow their hairstyle, dressing style, and especially their style of playing.

They are the Gods of the fans. A cricket stadium is a place where we come to see our Gods, who perform as per God’s will, we love them, we hate them (when they lose) and we cheer them.

We have seen that in the cricket stadium, we have seen them in the best of their performances. We have seen them get out for a duck and we have seen them getting the highest score. We are the proud supporters and we are their fans.

The biopic of Sachin Tendulkar (Sachin: A billion Dreams, 2017) and M.S. Dhoni (M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, 2016) was a huge hit in theatres.

83 is based on India’s magnificent World Cup victory is going to be a big hit too. The trailer of 83 already has 79 Million views on YouTube.