The 1980s saw Gavaskar and Kapil Dev (India’s best all-rounder to date) at the pinnacle of their careers. Gavaskar made a Test record 34 centuries as he became the first man to reach the 10,000 run mark. In the semi-finals, the India was defeated by England, after having defeated them on the same stage four years prior.

• Many of us believe that Hockey is the National sport of India, but the reality is different.
• The first hockey club in India was established in Calcutta in 1855.
• The surprise comeback raises a fair number of questions on whether Indian football can ever graduate from being a “Sleeping Giant”, as once described by FIFA.
• The day is a tribute to Major Dhyan Chand‘s enduring legacy in the world of sports, particularly hockey.
• The nation’s remarkable achievements in hockey, especially during the mid-20th century, fostered a strong association with the sport.

Ravindra Jadeja hits the winning runs as India beat New Zealand by 4 wicket to lift the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Despite this, India failed to reach the knockout stages of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2009 and 2010 editions of the T20 World Cup. Since his retirement, he had continued playing for Bengaluru FC in the ISL.

Emerging National Sports in India

Join us as we uncover the fascinating world of India’s national sport and understand why it is cherished by millions across the nation. According to the reply given by the Government of India to an RTI, there is no sport or game is designated as the National Sport of India. It is known to all that various symbols are used to express the culture and identity of a Nation.

Why is it difficult to declare a national game in India?

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports made it clear that the government has not declared any sport or game as National Sport. In the 2014 T20 World Cup hosted in Bangladesh, find out this here India narrowly missed out on another ICC trophy by losing to Sri Lanka in the final. In a match against Sri Lanka, Rohit overtook Sehwag to become the leading run-scorer in an inning in ODIs (264), being the first player to cross 250. This is part of what has made the government reluctant to declare any game as India’s national game. There have been many inquiries by citizens to the government about national sports. One such example is the school teacher who filed a Response to Intervention (RTI).

However, hockey is unofficially recognized as India’s national sport. National sports highlight the relevance and significance of sports to citizens while encouraging individuals to be physically active. A nation’s population understands and participates in sports differently when that nation has a designated national sport. The “National Sports of India” may traditionally be field hockey, but the sports landscape in the country is dynamic and ever-changing.