| There was a time when cricket was considered a | | | | of coaches if anyone dares to say a word or act |
| mere English sport and a fancy sported by | | | | against their favorite player. |
| gentlemen. But times have changed. Just like football | | | | You can take the example of Sourav Ganguly, the |
| or soccer, people across the world are crazy over | | | | former captain of India, who was very much the |
| cricket. | | | | center of attention last year, though for the wrong |
| Everytime Sachin Tendulkar lifts his bat to hit a ball; a | | | | reasons. When he was ousted from his team, his |
| roar of expectation reverberates throughout the | | | | fellow countrymen went wild with anger. They made |
| entire stadium. Whenever Bret Lee swings his arm, | | | | street protests and showed their staunch support |
| the entire crowd waits with bated breath for the | | | | towards their favorite player. Now that he has made |
| outcome. | | | | a comeback, the fans are gloating with pride. They |
| So many cricketers have come and gone but the | | | | are treating his victory as their own victory, such is |
| crazy adulation for the sportsmen have never | | | | their fan craze! |
| stopped. I remember a phase when I was a crazy | | | | Legendary icons such as Don Bradman, Kapil Dev, Ian |
| fan of Rahul Dravid and whether or not I understood | | | | Chappel, Sunil Gavaskar, Imran Khan, Vivian Richards, |
| cricket, it was irrelevant. I was glued to the T.V. | | | | and many more still reign among the hearts of people |
| whenever India played. | | | | like shining stars. Cricket is a sport when one day you |
| Fans all over the world show their adoration in their | | | | are made a hero and put on a pedestal and the next |
| own ways. Some sport either their own country's | | | | day you can be treated as a forsaken and forgotten |
| T-shirts, or make a tattoo, or put up wall-to-wall | | | | man. It is such a sport that it makes you want to |
| posters in their rooms, or even chant prayers for | | | | laugh or cry for your country. |
| their players in temples. Some can even burns effigies | | | | |