The popularity of cricket has reached a point where it is no longer just a sport, but a religion for lovers of the sport
Fantasy cricket commands great engagement in India
To say that India is a cricket crazy country would be stating the obvious. One could marvel at the fact that a sport that originated in England enthralls a country of over a billion people like no other sport in history. Much has been written about how this sport is a cultural representation of India, and has the force to unite an entire country against all odds. Despite hockey being India’s national sport, there is no doubt that cricket is the most popular.
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The popularity of cricket has reached a point where it is no longer just a sport, but a religion for lovers of the sport. And if cricket is their religion, cricketers are nothing short of idols who not only stun spectators with their endlessly thrilling performance on the pitch, but bring immense glory and prestige to India on the world stage.
As a sport, cricket is as versatile as it is easy to play. It comes as no surprise that ‘gully cricket’, otherwise known as street cricket or backyard cricket, has its own style of play altogether because of its ability to be played just about anywhere, even in the often congested narrow by lanes of Indian cities. Cricket is played with just as much enthusiasm on the streets as it is in stadiums and parks. If you are an Indian or have been living in this country, chances are that you are a cricket lover yourself, or your extended social circle comprises a sizable number of cricket aficionados.
The rise in popularity of cricket in India can be attributed to several factors, such as the versatility of the sport and its remarkable ease of play, a robust infrastructure for practice and training, a strong governing organisation, among others. Over the decades, India has produced numerous cricketing legends, such as Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and many more. These icons of the sport have excelled in international competitions and inspired generations of Indians.
Nowadays, it is all too common to see cricket fans glued to their mobile phone screens, soaking up every latest development and news update from the world of cricket. This is largely due to the fact that internet services have been made available to millions of people in rural and remote parts of the country at affordable rates, helping to bring them into the technological mainstream that currently defines modern urban India. Nowadays there are websites and platforms that specialise in content exclusively dedicated to cricket.
A significant byproduct of this tech boom is the increase in the number of people playing fantasy cricket. Fantasy cricket, as its name suggests, belongs to the genre of games known as fantasy sports, and in recent years has taken the Indian cricket fan base by storm. As of today, 2 out of 3 people in India are aware of fantasy sports, and it is estimated that more than 100 million people play fantasy cricket.
The ongoing pandemic has only accelerated its growth in India. In very simple terms, fantasy cricket is essentially an online virtual version of the sport in which users create their own virtual teams comprising real cricketers for an upcoming real world match. Users are then able to earn points based on how these selected cricketers perform on the day of the actual match.
To play, you need to download a new fantasy cricket app. Once the app is installed, you need to select an upcoming cricket game and then create your virtual team of 11 players of your choice. Following which, you need to deposit some money and join a contest, and track the contest leaderboard once the real world match begins to see how your chosen players are performing on the pitch.
Fantasy cricket commands great engagement in India, and provides a platform for all lovers of cricket to put their cricket knowledge to the test. The popularity of fantasy cricket competitions has also contributed to the creation of income generation opportunities as well.
However, at this point, it should be clarified that fantasy cricket is not just any old online cricket game. It is not a game of chance and nor is it a form of gambling. According to the law in India, fantasy cricket is viewed as a game of skill, since being good at the game necessitates intelligence as well as an in-depth knowledge of the sport, and winning in fantasy cricket tournaments is heavily dependent on how the user creates his or her virtual team, as points are earned on the basis of their actual performance and not their records or past performances.
For a large number of Indian cricket fans, fantasy cricket has become more thrilling than watching the sport being played live. This is because users feel a sense of personal involvement when the performance of the players they have chosen is reflected in their leaderboard scores. Moreover, as users themselves decide who will be playing in their virtual teams, it makes them feel that they are part of the actual match. Users get to swap players and modify their team lineup, which gives them a feeling of autonomy and control. On fantasy cricket apps, the captain and vice captain, respectively, earn 2 times and 1.5 times the number of points that regular players earn, and therefore users put in great thought and effort in selecting their captain and vice captain.
Also, as stated earlier, fantasy cricket is not only a source of entertainment, but provides lucrative earning opportunities as well. To win money or prizes from fantasy cricket, users’ teams need to win the maximum number of games, and they themselves need to consistently maintain a top rank on the leaderboard. Adding the elements of money and prizes into this format of the game has given an incentive for more people to take to playing fantasy cricket.
Given India’s immensely large cricket loving population, the proportion of people seeking to make a career in the sport, but as we all know only too well, not everyone gets to live the dream. For them, fantasy cricket is an outlet to be a part of the game while showcasing their own knowledge and expertise. Fantasy cricket, being a game of skill, has helped to bring more passive audiences of the sport into the mainstream as well.
Fantasy cricket has become important for another reason too. The growth of T20 tournaments, such as the Indian Premier League and other professional leagues, has increased the total number of cricket matches in the sporting calendar. This is because international cricket matches are subject to bilateral ties and limited to specific international competitions. Cricket leagues have not only helped to magnify viewership but also provide more matches for fantasy cricketers to play.
It can be safely said that India’s being a global tech hub has only helped to augment the popularity of fantasy cricket in the country. The fact that more and more fantasy cricket apps are being launched on Google Playstore and Apple’s App Store is a sign that this genre of the sport will only flourish in the coming years.
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