India is the second most populated country in the world. Therefore, it is not a surprise that there are many talented athletes, popular sports clubs, and more. Also, the advantage of having so many citizens is that there can be a full stadium on almost any event. In that matter, clubs from this country can gain high revenue from tickets and invest that funds in the further development of facilities, stadiums, training centers, and more.
When it comes to the popularity of major sports, we can find leagues and popular clubs in almost every sport. However, there are some differences when we compare their leagues with some western countries. Here are some of the sports that have the highest popularity in India.
1. Cricket
Source:forbes.com
One of the main differences between India and most European and American countries is related to the popularity of cricket, which is the most popular sport in this country. The interesting fact is that many countries in the southern hemisphere prefer this sport over soccer, basketball, and many other sports. Besides India, cricket is the major sport in Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, and many other countries. The national team of India is known as one with the most titles in international championships. Also, the annual income of the best players in the league is similar to those of most popular basketball or soccer players. Moreover, their betting houses are receiving the most bets on cricket events. If you are interested in betting on cricket matches, visit 10 Cric.
2. Soccer
Source:dnaindia.com
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and we can find soccer leagues in every single country in the world. When it comes to India, this is the second most popular entertainment, and they are most interested in European leagues, such as those from Spain, England, Germany, Italy, and more. On the other side, they are also trying to improve their clubs and leagues with huge investments in facilities and stadiums. The most interesting about their league is that many global stars were playing for their teams. Some of the best soccer players that left their mark in the Indian Soccer League are Roberto Carlos, Helder Postiga, David Trezeguet, Dimitar Berbatov, Lucio, Alessandro Del Piero, Florent Malouda, Robert Pires, Diego Forlan, and many more. They are not so successful in international championships currently, but with great moves related to the development, we expect some greater accomplishments in the future.
3. Kabaddi
Source:globalsportmatters.com
The most unique feature of Indian people is related to the popularity of Kabaddi, which is a spot that many people in western countries never heard of before. Besides India, this sport is also popular in other Asian countries. Kabaddi became especially popular in recent years, and there were periods where it was even more popular than soccer. The main reason for such popularity is the fact that it is very attractive for people to watch these matches, especially live events. India was the champion of the world in Kabaddi in 2017.
4. Badminton
Source:zeenews.india.com
Badminton is a great source of entertainment when you are camping or hanging out with friends in the backyard. However, Indian people consider it as something much more serious. Their players are one of the best in the world. We have to mention that they have a bronze at the Olympic games in London, and a silver one in the last one that was in Rio De Janeiro. They have the potential to continue with great accomplishments in the future as well. It won’t be a surprise to see them with golden honor on the next big international championship.
5. Hockey
Source:thebridge.in
It might sound odd because hockey is most popular in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, but there are many hockey enthusiasts in India as well. the most interested in its popularity is that hockey is considered as one of the national sports in the country. We all know that Canada, Russia, and the United States are countries with the most popular hockey leagues. However, India manages to follow them with eight medals at the Olympic games so far. Furthermore, field hockey is even more popular, and that is not a surprise considering the climate of India. Some of the most popular teams are Chandigarh Dynamos, Kalinga Lancers, Chennai Veerans, Orissa Steelers, and many more.
6. Tennis
Source:scroll.in
Another popular sport in India is tennis. Even though this country doesn’t have Grand Slam or ATP Masters tournaments, there are many great players from this country. Some of the most popular Indian people in tennis are Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj, Mahesh Bhupathi, and more. However, the best success is related to their players in the doubles, especially Bhupathi and Paes. Some of the most popular tournaments are Delhi Open, Super Series, Chennai Open, and more.
Other Popular Sports
Besides the events that are the most popular in this country, we also have to mention many other sports as well, such as wrestling, boxing, basketball, and motorsports. It is typical for Asia to be successful in wrestling and other similar sports. Their most recent success is the medal from the Olympic games in China. When it comes to boxing, we also have to mention that the TV show from the United States called WWE is very popular in India along with standard boxing.
Source:redbull.com
Motorsport is also a lot preferred by people here, especially Formula 1, Moto GP, and rally races. They have an F1 team called Force India, and they have decent results in recent years. Basketball is popular, but only when it comes to streams of popular leagues from other countries like the NBA and Euroleague. On the other hand, there are not so many clubs with talented people, but with great investments and struggles, we expect that Indian basketball clubs will become much better in the future. This state is still in development, but considering its potential, population, and activities related to the improvements of its industry, we think that India will become a much more serious rival to some of the best countries in the future.
