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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Applause for Cricket, Silence for Badminton

Mumbai: When Lakshya Sen walked off the court after the final of the All England Badminton Championships, he carried with him the disappointment of another near miss. The Indian shuttler went down in straight games to Lin Chun-Yi, who created history by becoming the first player from Chinese Taipei to lift the prestigious title. But the story of Lakshya Sen’s defeat is not merely about badminton final. It is also about the contrasting way India celebrates its sporting heroes. Had the same...

Applause for Cricket, Silence for Badminton

Mumbai: When Lakshya Sen walked off the court after the final of the All England Badminton Championships, he carried with him the disappointment of another near miss. The Indian shuttler went down in straight games to Lin Chun-Yi, who created history by becoming the first player from Chinese Taipei to lift the prestigious title. But the story of Lakshya Sen’s defeat is not merely about badminton final. It is also about the contrasting way India celebrates its sporting heroes. Had the same narrative unfolded on a cricket field, the reaction would have been dramatically different. In cricket, even defeat often becomes a story of heroism. A hard-fought loss by the Indian team can dominate television debates, fill newspaper columns and trend across social media for days. A player who narrowly misses a milestone is still hailed for his fighting spirit. The nation rallies around its cricketers not only in victory but also in defeat. The narrative quickly shifts from the result to the effort -- the resilience shown, the fight put up, the promise of future triumph. This emotional investment is one of the reasons cricket enjoys unparalleled popularity in India. It has built a culture where players become household names and their performances, good or bad, become part of the national conversation. Badminton Fights Contrast that with what happens in sports like badminton. Reaching the final of the All England Championships is a monumental achievement. The tournament is widely considered badminton’s equivalent of Wimbledon in prestige and tradition. Only the very best players manage to reach its final stages, and doing it twice speaks volumes about Lakshya Sen’s ability and consistency. Yet the reaction in India remained largely subdued. There were congratulatory posts, some headlines acknowledging the effort and brief discussions among badminton enthusiasts. But the level of national engagement never quite matched the magnitude of the achievement. In a cricketing context, reaching such a stage would have triggered days of celebration and analysis. In badminton, it often becomes just another sports update. Long Wait India’s wait for an All England champion continues. The last Indian to win the title was Pullela Gopichand in 2001. Before him, Prakash Padukone had scripted history in 1980. These victories remain among the most significant milestones in Indian badminton. And yet, unlike cricketing triumphs that are frequently revisited and celebrated, such achievements rarely stay in the mainstream sporting conversation for long. Lakshya Sen’s journey to the final should ideally have been viewed as a continuation of that legacy, a reminder that India still possesses the talent to challenge the world’s best in badminton. Instead, it risks fading quickly from public memory. Visibility Gap The difference ultimately comes down to visibility and cultural investment. Cricket in India is not merely a sport; it is an ecosystem built over decades through media attention, sponsorship, and mass emotional attachment. Individual sports, on the other hand, often rely on momentary bursts of recognition, usually during Olympic years or when a medal is won. But consistent performers like Lakshya Sen rarely receive the sustained spotlight that their achievements deserve. This disparity can also influence the next generation. Young athletes are naturally drawn to sports where success brings recognition, financial stability and national fame. When one sport monopolises the spotlight, others struggle to build similar appeal. Beyond Result Lakshya Sen may have finished runner-up again, but his performance at the All England Championship is a reminder that India continues to produce world-class athletes in disciplines beyond cricket. The real issue is not that cricket receives immense attention -- it deserves the admiration it gets. The concern is that athletes from other sports often do not receive comparable appreciation for achievements that are equally significant in their own arenas. If India aspires to become a truly global sporting nation, its applause must grow broader. Sporting pride cannot remain confined to one field. Because somewhere on a badminton court, an athlete like Lakshya Sen is fighting just as hard for the country’s colours as any cricketer on a packed stadium pitch. The only difference is how loudly the nation chooses to cheer.

A New Arrival in Mumbai’s Cricket Horizon

Ayush Mhatre

A new wonder kid has arrived on Mumbai’s cricket scene. He is 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, a resident of Virar, 46 km from Mumbai.


The hard working and dedicated Ayush leaves his home at 4.15 am to catch 5 am local from Virar to reach the grounds in Mumbai where cricket matches and camps are run by numerous coaches. The wide network of Maidans is the real source of Mumbai’s cricket. From Vijay Merchant (Bharda High School, CST), Sunil Gavaskar (St. Xaviers), Dilip Vengsarkar (King George, Dadar), Sandeep Patil (Balmohan), Sachin Tendulkar (Shardashram) are all products of school cricket. Ayush Mhatre is a prodigious talent from IES V.N. Sule Guruji School, Dadar.


Mumbai is the nursery of Indian Cricket. Emerging talent specially batsmen are born and brought up from Mumbai. Vijay Merchant, Vijay Manjrekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma are a few examples.


Ayush scored 176 runs in his third first- class match and was chosen as Man of the Match. Sachin Koli, a coach at V.N. Sule Guruji School, has been instrumental in shaping the teenager’s cricket career. He impressed the authorities of Virar’s Sainath Sports Club, where he played with senior boys.


Ayush scored big runs in Mumbai U-16 age group tournaments. So he was elevated to U-19 age group. Coach Dinesh Lad is very impressed with Ayush’s batting. Maharashtra Ranji Trophy team coach Sulakshan Kulkarni also appreciated his batting. He is exceptional talent.


Sachin Koli spotted Ayush in inter-school match at Matunga Gymkhana. His parents wanted to change Ayush’s school. Koli immediately got Ayush admitted in Sule Guruji School. Tanush Kotian, an emerging all-rounder is also the product of Sule Guruji School which has given Mumbai players like Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhavin Thakkar, Vineet Indulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar.


Ayush batted well in the opening Ranji Trophy against Baroda scoring 52 and 22 runs. At BKC in the Maharashtra Derby clash against arch rivals Maharashtra he opened with Pruthvi Shaw. Pruthvi and Hardik Tamore got out early but Ayush put on big partnership with Shreyas Iyer who also scored a century. There was a stamp of authority in Ayush’s three consecutive fours of Rajvardhan Hangagrekar. Two beautiful backfoot drives and one through the mid-wicket.


Ayush relished spinners hitting sixers off Satyajit Bachhav and Hitesh Walunj. With Skipper Ajinkya Rahane Ayush added 99 runs for the third wicket which put Mumbai’s innings on sound footing.


At the age of 17, the Virar lad is learning to build innings, hallmark of a great batsman. Mumbai Ranji Trophy Selection Committee Chairman Sanjay Patil supported Ayush and he passed with flying colors. He was picked for KSCA Trophy where he scored 172 against Gujrat and clinched his place in the Senior team. Mushir Khan got injured and selectors gave Ayush an opportunity in the Irani Cup match and then in the 90-year-old Ranji Trophy. Ayush has grabbed he opportunity with both hands.


The selectors have dropped Pruthvi Shaw from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team for the match against Tripura but Ayush Mhatre is going strong with his batting. He can score runs consistently and should play big knocks so he can be in the limelight at such a young age.

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