India is looked upon as a driving force behind Cricket to enter International Olympics

Cricket, a very popular sport in South Asia was one of the five games that were added to Los Angeles games by the International Olympic Committee. Squash, baseball-softball, lacrosse and flag football are the other games that were included. Cricket was played last in 1900 at the Olympics, however the bat-and-ball game is widely a part of several international sports tournaments like Asian games and Commonwealth games. The game has its history of as early as 17th century but officially was recognized in 1909 when International Cricket Council was founded globally. Today, India is one of the countries that enjoys watching and playing cricket at a massive level. India is currently on the rank 1 in ICC Twenty 20 rankings with 16137 points followed by England with 11133 points and New Zealand with 13534 points. India has won Cricket world cup twice, in 1983 and 2011 whereas was runners-up in 2003.
The sport was introduced to Indians by Britishers during colonization in the country, and the people adapted it as a main sport quickly. It is often misunderstood as a national game of the country. Former Indian captain and world record holder, Sachin Tendulkar tweeted after the news, ‘After a wait of more than a century our beloved sport is back on the Olympic stage. This marks the dawn of a new era for cricket as it will be a golden opportunity to foster inclusivity and showcase new talent from emerging cricketing nations. A start of something truly special’. The decision came after International Olympic Committee meeting that held in Mumbai city. India is currently participating in ongoing Cricket World Cup and is hosting few matches in different cities. Quoted by AP news, former Indian Women’s Cricket team captain said, ‘Players will get the chance to compete for an Olympic gold medal and be part of the games, which will be so special, it’s also a chance for more fans around the world to enjoy our fantastic sport’.
Gagan Pathak calls himself a cricket maniac. He tries to never miss cricket matches of India. He shared his love for the game and what this news means to a cricket fan. ‘I was given bat and ball at my age of three. Since then, I know this game and with time it has become more than a game to me. It is an emotion and if its India playing, then it is personal. It is an overwhelming news for cricket fans and for India as a country. We have improved within years and in present are on top of our game. Expanding the game’s domain will help players to get exposure and people will get familiar with it’, he said. Football is one of the games acknowledged by several countries which is why people are aware of it, whereas Cricket is new to many countries, according to Gagan. Growing popularity of cricket is one of the reasons behind its inclusion in International Olympics.
Virat Kohli, former Indian cricket team captain is among the most followed athletes on Instagram. He has 261 million followers and is first Indian to receive such massive following on social media. His game, fitness and brand endorsements has added on to his popularity along with his regular posts. Gagan on meeting with his idol said, ‘I respect Sachin Tendulkar but I am a big fan of Virat Kohli. I met him when he came to Delhi. It felt surreal. I want people across the world to know him, his journey and his contribution to this game.’ He further added that today Cricket has gained immense popularity because of team’s performance at every international match. All the players are in form, Rohit Sharma (Indian cricket team captain), Hardik Pandya (batting-all-rounder), KL Rahul (batsman), Mohammed Shami (bowler).
According to the information, Committee believes the decision will help the game to get opportunity at global stage and will be recognized beyond the traditional cricket boundaries and region. Local Cricket Coach Saket consider audience as the core foundation of establishing any game in a particular space. ‘The game remains game between players, but when it involves countries, groups then it becomes official sport. So, audience is a very significant element in a transition of a game into sport. The decision will help cricket to get more international audience from all the corners of world, which will increase its status above individuals and will be looked upon as a collective sport’, he said.
India is currently playing Cricket World Cup 2023 and is hosting the tournament. It has also become first team to secure semi-final spot after winning against Sri Lanka. Coach Saket is affirmed about cricket’s popularity surpassing any other sport in the coming years. He said, ‘Considering the fact that cricket is emerging as a popular sport because of its massive audience, where India plays a vital role in bringing the crowd, it is not wrong to say that it has the ability to surpass any other sports and dominates the sports industry’.