Cricket, The only Religion that Unites India !

Cricket: The only Religion that Unites India!

We have so many things that divide people; in this world and in India. Race, Religions, Regions, Languages, Tastes, Food habits, Prejudices, Color of the skin and of course Politics!

But there is only one entity that 'Unites' India; and that is Cricket. Yes, this game of skill between a bat and a ball has fired the imagination of a Country ever since we learned to play it. It became an 'Unofficial Religion' after the famous victory in the Prudential World Cup Final in 1983. 27 years since, Cricket has remained a great unifier; in spite of all the above mentioned entities trying to divide Cricket and divide the Country!

Yes, we keep hearing frequent complaints of Selectors playing Politics and of nepotism by 'The High and the Mighty'. We have seen effigies being burnt in Kolkotta when Saurav Ganguly was dropped and we have seen Mumbai being the hate object of people of many a States. But when it comes to the 'Game'; almost all the devotees will gather together and pray for 'India'!

There are so many famous quotes about Cricket and India. Here are but three that came to my mind instantly, while there are more than a couple of dozen more such 'immortal' quotable quotes.

Cricket is my Religion and Sachin is God!

I will see God when I die, but I am in no hurry and will see Sachin Tendulkar bat!

On the Off Side, after God; there is Saurav Ganguly!

In spite of regionalism, favoritism and even religions coming out in the open at the time of selection of team before each series; India remains united on match days! I know so many of those right wing saffrons who root for Zaheer Khan and Yusuf Pathan. I also know so many Muslim youth who see no idol beyond Sachin. Chennai perhaps has the staunchest fan-base of Sachin and Laxman is adored in Kolkotta for obvious reasons.

So I have no doubts about Cricket being the 'Best Unifier' in this country; especially when the team is winning and doing well! And my own passion for the game is nothing short of being labeled 'Craze'!

All through my younger days, I have tried to bat like Gavaskar, bowl like Sivaramakrishnan and field like Roger Binny. Unfortunately the fact was that I was at best a mediocre Cricketer. But this doesn't disqualify me from being a Lap-top Cricketer; the modern-day version of the Arm-chair Cricketer.

Some of the failed actors like Rakesh Roshan, Subhash Ghai and Vinod Chopra went on to become very successful Directors in Hindi movies. I believe India has no dearth of talent in Cricket as well as in 'Lap-top Cricket'. Yours truly has an opinion on almost all 'That is Cricket' and most of 'That is not Cricket'!

This blog will be dedicated to expressions on Sports in general and Cricket in particular. I am shifting my old posts on sports from 'Live, Love and Laugh' under this blog.

This is for my own benefit so that I will be able to manage with more comfort; both 'That is Cricket' and 'That is not Cricket'!