'Tendulkar' is my God!
Sachin Tendulkar, who is
worshiped as the
God of Cricket, has been honored with a temple that contains his life-sized statue made in marble. It was dedicated to him by the people of Kaimur district in Bihar, India.
India is known for its diversity, with a number of religions and communities thriving around the country. If you want to witness true spirit, extreme madness, craziness, support, and patriotism all at once, then India is the place to be during a cricket match. For Indian people, cricket is not just a game, but a religion. You can very well say that, it is like football (soccer) in Brazil or Spain. The craze is such that, people watch a game right from the opening ceremony and pitch report till the presentation ceremony is over at the end. They watch every single bit of it, even the advertisements, so that they don't miss a wicket, a six, or a four. On match day, hopes and expectations of billions of people lie on the shoulders of 11 players of the team. Since the introduction of the India Premier League (IPL), which is more than just a cricket league, it has been termed as the festival of India (
India ka Tyohaar!). Although hockey is the national game of India, cricket has overshadowed every other sport. It's as if cricket flows in everyone's blood, which is probably the reason behind the slogan
'Bleed Blue!' Take a look at the reasons below, to know why Indians love cricket so much, and why it is their religion.
Cricket is a Religion in India Because...
#1. Everyone loves Dhoni and Tendulkar
Both these great cricketers are one of the main reasons why people have started loving cricket even more. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of the most successful captains of Team India, is known for saving the day in the final overs, and Sachin Tendulkar is considered as the
God of Cricket, so much so that people have constructed a temple and his idol in his honor. They are idolized by every child who wants to be a cricketer when he grows up.
#2. It gives a reason to celebrate
Be it an IPL win, T20 win, or a World Cup win, people simply need an excuse to celebrate. That epic and unforgettable moment was, when Team India won the World Cup in 2011. There was a sea of people in blue holding tricolor flags on the streets ready to welcome the victorious heroes back with the most prized trophy of the cricket world, which they had won after 28 long years of wait. There were celebrations everywhere, with fireworks in the sky, which almost felt like the festival of Diwali.
#3. It brings people of all religions together
Hindu. Muslim. Sikh. Christian. What's that? When it comes to cricket, religion takes a backseat in cricket-crazy India. Everybody seems to be speaking just one language and follow just one religion - Cricket! It brings everyone together. You can never watch a cricket match alone, especially when India is playing. It has to be with your family, extended family, neighbors, the whole neighborhood, or even with strangers at a store.
#4. Match day is a holiday!
In India, you can expect people to skip work or take leave just to watch a match. The boss will definitely know why people are suddenly falling ill. Moreover, even the boss falls ill all of a sudden on match day. Some employers even declare a holiday on that day, while others organize a live telecast of the match for all the employees at work. Such is the love for cricket all around!
#5. It can be played by anyone and everyone
Cricket is one such game that can be played by people of all age groups, from small children to grandparents, and rich to poor. There might be hardly any person who hasn't played cricket in his/her life. Everybody seems to know what's a six, a four, leg side, off side, full toss, leg bye, etc.
#6. Didn't we say anybody can play cricket?
India has a women's cricket team as well. After all, why should boys have all the fun? Isn't it?
#7. There's some cricket for everyone
Be it a Test match, ODI, T20, gully cricket, hand cricket, book cricket; there's always a game that everyone can play. You will often find young boys playing cricket in gullies (lanes), and professionals playing on cricket grounds. Not everybody needs a stadium to play this game.
#8. India Vs. Pakistan ― EPIC!
There's no better feeling for an Indian cricket fan than celebrating a victory against their all-time favorite rivals Pakistan! It is THE most awaited match among all the other matches, and is as good as war. In this 'epic battle' between India and Pakistan, don't be surprised if you happen to see empty streets, or a scene somewhat like a curfew with all stores shut, because nobody wants to miss the action.
#9. Fans are the biggest support
Whenever there's an important match, you can find a huge number of fans out in the streets to support the team, be it in any part of the world they are playing in. The stadium turns into a blue sea. Be it an IPL or any other match, fans shower their team with the loudest cheers possible. You can see faces painted in the tricolor of the Indian flag. People are never bothered about the time zone. If the match starts at 3 in the night, they have to watch it! Experience it to believe it, and you'll know what we're talking about here!
Now you know why cricket is a religion in India. The love for this game in this country is simply incomparable and unexplainable.
