Despite Being a National Sport Why Hockey is Not as Popular as Cricket in India?

Hockey is one of the oldest games, which the Indian Hockey Federation sanctioned in 1925. Hockey was very popular in the year of 1928 to 1956. India won six consecutive Gold Medals at the Olympic Games and was regarded as a Golden Era of Hockey during this time. Hockey is unofficially regarded as India’s National Game as a result of all these achievements.

Despite being the national sport, cricket is more popular than Hockey in India. As Kapil Dev’s victory over the unbeatable West Indian squad in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. This victory caused cricket’s popularity to rise among Indians.

Following that, cricket continues to gain popularity. The player and match performances have significantly improved; India has won numerous matches and series, and numerous Indian players have broken world records and accomplished fantastic feats by defeating other cricketing legends. In terms of cricket, India presently has the championship title.
Let’s look at some of the current factors that make Cricket More Popular in India Than Hockey.
The performance Indian hockey team was never in line with public expectations or interests. Maybe playing cricket is simple and more demanding than Hockey. India wins more championships in that discipline compared to the number of countries that even play cricket many other sports have better than many competing nations that are good in cricket.
While Hockey requires stamina and energy to run after a ball every second, making it a difficult game for everyone even, not every child can play hockey without guidance. Unlike cricket, which can be played anywhere like on narrow roads, communities ground, courtyards or any vacant place because there isn’t a need for proper fields every time and it doesn’t take much effort hence Cricket is popular.


The Media is also responsible for that our national game not being so popular as cricket. The fact that cricket generates a lot of revenue for media sources makes them more eager to promote it. In Hockey, the sports network only has a 90-minute slot to make money from advertisements, whereas cricket offers a whole day of opportunities. Because of this, cricket match gets more media attention than Hockey, which helps to increase cricket’s popularity.
Cricket is more popular among kids for this reason as well. Cricket matches are broadcast on TV and in the media almost throughout the year, while there are very few Hockey matches broadcast, and you cannot watch Hockey games whenever you want on TV.
Easy to Play– As discussed above Cricket is easy to play and can be played anywhere, Cricket can play with softball most of the time; hard balls are only used when playing at a professional level. You can play cricket with yourself even if you have a wall, a bat, and a ball. Hockey sticks and level ground are always necessary for playing Hockey.

World Champion– It’s not wrong that we Indians can proudly claim the title of World Champions in cricket is another factor that draws more people to the game and grows its popularity. To win the hockey world championship, it would have to defeat a number of other nations, though.

Government Attention– Hockey receives less attention from the government as well. Although the fact that hockey isn’t the nation’s official game, many people adore it. As people have nature to run behind the trends that are already popular. Rich people, businessmen, and commercial sponsors also feel beneficial investing in cricket because of this.
Indian hockey team enjoyed its most successful years between 1928 and 1956 when it played 24 straight games and won 6 Olympic gold medals. Since it was so popular many people believed it to be a national game. Everything has a set timeframe, maybe in a few years’ hockey also become as popular as cricket in India.

Cricket is the dominant sport in India. Cricket is a complex game that takes years to master. But its popularity in India can be attributed to several factors. One is its association with India’s independence movement. Cricket was seen as a symbol of British colonialism, and so it became a patriotic act to play and support the game. Another factor is the rise of Indian cricket stars, such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Their exploits on the field have won fans all over the country, and they are now some of the most popular athletes in the world.

You have no doubt heard about the cricket craze that has taken over India. What you may not know is that cricket has replaced hockey as the country’s major sport. Hockey was once the most popular sport in India, but cricket has now surpassed it in terms of popularity. This change is largely due to the success of the Indian cricket team. The team has won numerous international tournaments, including the Cricket World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy. As a result, cricket has become a source of national pride for India, and interest in the sport continues to grow.