WHY CRICKET CAN BE CONSIDERED AS THE BEST SPORT IN THE WORLD ?

Cricket is a sport that was invented long before the industrial revolution, so it has a long-held tradition and culture. It was first played in England and spread to Asia, Australia, Newzealand, South Africa, and to other countries during the colonial period. when we compare cricket with other major sports there are various elements that make it so special. But there is no benchmark to decide which sport is the best one so, we cannot say cricket is the best sport in the world. But there are some special factors that make cricket clearly stand out from other sports:

1.Incredible India

Cricket is mostly played and celebrated in India and India is the most special factor that makes cricket a special sport. watching live matches in India is not only entertaining but also a cultural experience. The domestic Indian T20 league(IPL) which is hosted all around India is one of the main attractions in cricket. Each city hosting IPL matches has its own culture and tradition so watching IPL helps to know and experience the diverse Indian culture closely because it is very common to see traditional dance and music being played in and around the stadium during IPL and all international cricket matches played in India. For example, we can hear traditional Indian drums played in the stadium, people dressed in traditional Indian clothes like Dothi, Sarees, Kurti, kurtha, etc

Cricket is not only a sport in India but it is like a religion in India and it is one of the factors that bind the diverse Indian culture. So experiencing cricket in India is like being a part of this most diverse community in the world and it is a very pleasing experience for both Indians and foreigners.

2.Traditional Rivals

One of the main attractions in International cricket is the rivalry between countries like India and Pakistan and England and Australia. The match between India and Pakistan is the most sought-after event in international cricket and losing in those matches is a national shame for both countries. During those matches, the stadium will be fully occupied and the enthusiasm will be at its peak.

Ashes Trophy played between AUS and ENG is the most culturally important test series in international cricket because it is one of the oldest sport's series in the world. The first Ashes series was played in the year 1882 and the series still continues to be played in the present time. The Ashes series is an iconic event that even the same name is borrowed by other sports to name the tournaments played between both the countries like rugby and soccer.

3.Fierce Competition

This is what makes cricket extremely entertaining. When we look at IPL no team is weak and easily defeatable because there is a limit for money that can be spent by each team to buy and transfer players. So no team have a financial advantage over other and all teams are able to bring in 4 or 5 top professionals of the sport and this makes the league overwhelmingly competitive

But when we look at other major sports leagues like La Liga, Serie A, NBA, etc 2or 3 teams have a huge advantage over the other in terms of the number of top players and the small team always strives hard to survive. So one of the top 2 or 3 teams always wins those tournaments.

4.Dynamic Factors &Strategic Gameplay

The game of cricket has numerous dynamic factors that can affect the result of the game. Some of the most important factors are pitch, wind, humidity, condition of the ball, length of the boundary, etc. These factors are different in each and every game and can change in between the game. So unlike other major sports, captains have a very important responsibility to fulfill. That's why the selection of captain is a very important decision to make. If the captain is injured during a game or tournament that can lead to chaos if the team management is not able to find a person with similar expertise.

Due to the dynamic nature of various factors influencing the sport, teams develop specific strategies to get an advantage over the opponent. So cricket coaches and players need to analyze several data before the game and need to do some specific detailed studies before each game. This is a very promising characteristic because even if a team is very weak sometimes their cunning decisions can change the course of the game.

5.Players need to have a huge number of skillset 

Cricket players spent most of their time standing idle on the cricket field, but if you want to be an excellent cricketer then you need to develop various skills like hitting, defending the ball, diving, throwing, sprinting, jumping, etc. For becoming a pro in all these fields requires years of hard work and dedication.

Becoming a cricketer in India is extremely competitive and requires a huge skill set because the 11 players in the national team are selected from the second-most populous country in the world with a population of 1.3 billion people. So every person who needs to get into the international level needs to fine-tune his or her skill through years of practice and hard work. Even though each and every sport have huge competition but the magnitude of competition in cricket is unbelievable. 

6.PLAY ANYWHERE

This feature is not available for most sports. For playing cricket you don't need huge grounds and expensive gear and It can be played anywhere with any no. of individuals. It can be played in the streets, back gardens, even inside a room or hall. There are many hybrid versions of cricket and even 2 individuals can play very interesting cricket if they have access to cricket nets.

It is this feature of cricket that made it the most celebrated sport in India because India was an underdeveloped country when cricket was introduced in India and it had very few grounds and facilities for sports and this versatility of cricket made it possible for Indians with any level of income and facilities to play the sport.

FINAL THOUGHTS

So I think you have understood why cricket is one of the most viewed and celebrated sport. Even though cricket is only played in few countries compared to other sports it is the participation of Indians and Indians who live around the world that made the sport worldwide known and will make it a more global sport in the following years.

I believe that the fan following and worldwide recognition of cricket will increase if cricket is included in the Olympics and will take the game to the next level. I also believe that the shorter format tournaments introduced by ECB named The Hundred  will increase the fan base of cricket in Europe and in Scandinavian countries

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