With a few hockey players threatening to go on a hunger strike, it does hurt the soul a lot. The Indian obsession with cricket makes sure that heroes of only a certain kind are loved and respected. It was a great triumph but the hockey team's Asian Cup triumph was no mean feat either. To score 57 goals, concede 5 goals and go unbeaten in a continental tournament is as good as winning the Twenty20 World Championship.
The problem is that no one cares. It may be noted that the Indian national hockey team is the country's MOST successful sporting teams, but the least appreciated. Indian dribblers are hailed as great players by European nations but in India nobody cares. It is the step-motherly treatment dished out to them that hurts the most.
Given the kind of extremism that cricket will touch in times to come, I suggest India abandon the rest of it's sports teams and allow players to play for other countries in which they can live and settle in. At least they will love them and give them due respect and recognition.
The Indian media also plays spoilsport. The Twenty20 World Championship win was given extensive coverage, while the Asia Cup was almost ignored. The media has corrupted the mind that cricket is the greatest thing to happen in terms of sport. When it actually is the worst.
Cricket has had an easy take in India. Given the least amount of hard work done(in hockey and football, you have to first QUALIFY for the major tournaments) in getting to the tournaments, it is always easier to pull off a title triumph. It all hurts.
Even Shah Rukh Khan, who is an actor and who has nothing to do with sport directly, is given space in the sports pages just because he ATTENDED the final.
How worse can it get.....
The problem is that no one cares. It may be noted that the Indian national hockey team is the country's MOST successful sporting teams, but the least appreciated. Indian dribblers are hailed as great players by European nations but in India nobody cares. It is the step-motherly treatment dished out to them that hurts the most.
Given the kind of extremism that cricket will touch in times to come, I suggest India abandon the rest of it's sports teams and allow players to play for other countries in which they can live and settle in. At least they will love them and give them due respect and recognition.
The Indian media also plays spoilsport. The Twenty20 World Championship win was given extensive coverage, while the Asia Cup was almost ignored. The media has corrupted the mind that cricket is the greatest thing to happen in terms of sport. When it actually is the worst.
Cricket has had an easy take in India. Given the least amount of hard work done(in hockey and football, you have to first QUALIFY for the major tournaments) in getting to the tournaments, it is always easier to pull off a title triumph. It all hurts.
Even Shah Rukh Khan, who is an actor and who has nothing to do with sport directly, is given space in the sports pages just because he ATTENDED the final.
How worse can it get.....
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