INSPIRING SPORTS PART-2

After the debacle of 2007 cricket World cup, the game took a certain roadblocks with fans turning against their own heroes. It was at this time, ICL- Indian cricket league was born with its concept of 20-over games with foreign players and club systems. Being an event opposing the cricket board it couldn't get the required star players and the league fizzled out in coming years.

         Then came the T20 world cup victory followed by the Grand opening of IPL which some argue as the brainchild of now suspended lalit modi. The league was a hit, not just because of the Quick entertaining format and the quality of matches, but also because there was a mixture of Bollywood in it, which according to me is one of the topmost discussed topics among common people along with cricket. Well sounds like a good idea, yes but not for every sports. What people forget is Cricket was not exactly the most liked game of India, it was after the world cup victory of 1983 and emergence of player like kapil dev, sunil gavaskar, sachin tendulkar who put the country's name in the world cricketing map that people started to love this game.

          Now that's what other sports organization has to do. Create interest, nurture Talents, spread the game and most importantly work for the game and not for the boards, after this look for leagues. That's why PROkabbadi worked, because it is played in almost every school in almost every corner of the country and already has the advantage of being a short, quick paced game. What I feel about Indian football's new venture 'ISL' and its success is similar to that of Hockey India league and would very much depend on how it is presented to the audience. Let's hope it would be enjoyable.

INSPIRING SPORTS PART-1

As this week's 'MARY KOM' released it made me wonder how a country of 1.5 billion still struggles to be a sporting superpower unlike Australia, Russia, USA or china for that matter. And by sporting superpower I mean, a heck lot other sport than cricket, although we are not no.1 in that either. Sports like boxing, wrestling, shooting and to some extent badminton are catching fire among youngsters nowadays due to the recent Olympic and CWG success but there are still lot other games yet to find its name in the limelight. while team games like hockey are not doing much , for the occasional crowds it gathers, individuals games like athletics, just do not get sponsors .

Following the footsteps of cricket is the first step it seems for all sports organisation in India. After the launch of IPL, there has been enormous money and fans getting involved to the already popular games ultimately profiting the game and the people behind it. Looking at it many other sports organisation have started to get their own leagues. But will it succeed? That's the question that needs to be answered? There has been contrasting opinions and results to this question. Sports like Hockey, Badminton and Kabbadi have been launched into their respective leagues. While the recently concluded PROKabbadi seems to have succeeded in creating interest, It has not been the same sweet story for badminton despite creating a buzz,

On the other side, Our national game 'Hockey' may not have succeeded the way IPL has been, but it at least got noticed and the players seem to have benefited from the experience of international players as shown in their recent CWG games performances. So whats been the differences between the cricket and other leagues? Well that's in PART-2. While football's ISL is being launched next month let just hope it goes up 'IPL style'.