Sports in India
Without a doubt, sports are a large part of any progressive society. Sports have always been a part of our lives, and play an important part in Indian culture too. Countless sports are played in India, so here’s a list of the top 10 most favourite sports in India.
How popular a sport is, is determined by the amount of revenue it generates and the amount of viewers that sport has.
No.10 – Table Tennis
Table tennis is a famous indoor recreational sport played anywhere in India. The official sports body to control the sport is the Table Tennis Federation of India. The Indian team had achieved a couple bronze metals in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. This gave the game the boost to become one of the most popular sports in India.
No.9 – Basketball
Indian basketball is currently following the FIBA International Basketball Federation rules for organizing basketball championships. Although most of the basketball in India is played by youth in universities, colleges and high schools, as there is a certain patronage for the game amongst the younger generation. It is played by all genders of all ages and abilities.
No.8 – MotorSports
Motorsport has recently gained it’s big fame in India. Even though it is not very common for people in Nagpur India to take part, it has a vast base of followers from all around. Interesting fact – India is the home of one of the best Grand Prix circuits in the world, the Buddh International Circuit, in Greater Noida.
No.7 – Wrestling
Wrestling is interestingly viewed most by teenagers and youngsters in India, and it is one of the highest-viewed sports in India. The Indian team had recently won 2 gold medals and a bronze in the Asian Games. Another big player in the fame of wrestling was when WWE had promoted the Great Khali, an Indian ex-police officer turned professional wrestler, to attract Indian audiences.
No.6 – Chess
Due to it’s ease of access and cheap setup, chess is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports in India. Chess Grandmaster and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand was a big part of the growth of the Indian chess audience during the last 20 years.
No.5 – Badminton
Badminton is the second most played sport in India after cricket. It is operated by the Badminton Association of India. There are a few Indian badminton players who won olympic medals, P.V. Sindhu won the silver medal in 2016, and Saina won the bronze in 2012.
No.4 – Tennis
Tennis has always been a famous sport in India. The country has often done very well in the doubles and mixed doubles categories in the championships. Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza are a big inspiration for Indian youth.
No.3 – Field Hockey
Field hockey is the most successful sport in India when it comes to the Olympics. India has won 2 bronze, 1 silver and 8 gold medals in men’s field hockey, more than any other team in the world. This makes field hockey the national Olympic Sport of India.
No.2 – Football
Football is the second most viewed sport in India. Even though the Indian national team is not so successful in international competition. The Indian team ranks 96th in FIFA rankings.
No.1 – Cricket
Cricket is by far the no.1, most favourite sport in India. It has been a major source of revenue in the Indian sports industry. India homes the largest, most successful cricket fanbase in the world. A big part of the recent growth in revenue from the sport is cricket betting companies, one can learn all about cricket betting on sites like comeon India. India has produced some of the best cricket players in the world, like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid. Ever since the introduction of the Indian Premier League, India has been an attraction for cricketers and cricket lovers all over the world. India has won all of the ICC tournaments. Therefore without a doubt, cricket is India’s favourite sport.
