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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 wait of 27 years over

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Ranji Trophy Champions

Mumbai is considered as Capital of Indian Cricket, a cradle of Cricket in India its record in domestic cricket is enviable. The 42 times Ranji Trophy Champions and now 15 times Irani Cup winners! It retained Ranji Trophy between 1958-1973, which is a record. Double crown for Mumbai after a long wait of 27 years.


The Glorious History

Irani Cup match is played between Ranji Trophy Champions and the Rest of India team selected on the basis other teams best, talented players. It is an annual feature of BCCI Cricket Calendar. Zal Irani who was BBCI’s first Treasurer since its inception, later a Vice-President and President (1966-67) was honoured by having a Trophy presented in his name. It started in 1959-60 and was played at end of the season. After five years, it was shifted to the beginning of the next season. This Irani Cup tie gives valuable data about the form of current players

This season 2023-24 has been amazing for Mumbai Cricket. They regained the Ranji Trophy after a long gap. With most of their star players away on national duty representing India in WC and WTC matches they showed the class. The newly looked Mumbai Team played well under the Captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, a veteran Test stalwart.

Ajinkya led the side well though he didn't contribute much with the bat except in the final at Wankhede Stadium against Vidarbha. Ajinkya is always a captain cool. He is very shrewed with tactics. He led the bunch of talented youngsters which included Khan siblings Sarfraz and Musheer, Tanush Kotian (find of the season), pacer Awasthi, Tushar Deshpande (presently in UK for treatment), Shams Mulani, the crafty left arm spinner who along with Tanush Kotian plotted the downfall of opposition batters.


The Turning Point

In the Irani Cup match played on the red soiled Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in the first week of October Mulani bowled 40 overs and bagged 3 wickets but two main Rest of India batters, opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and Dhruv Jurel who stitched a partnership of 165 runs and frustrated the Mumbai team but Mulani exploiting the rough got Abhimanyu sweeping and catch was held by Tanush running in from short fine leg. Tanush then polished of ROI tail very swiftly. ROI lost last six wickets for just 23 runs. Both the tweakers bagged three wickets and Mumbai gained vital first innings lead of 121 runs.

Known for its batting Mumbai started badly in Irani Cup losing three wickets for 37 runs but skipper Ajinkya Rahane along with Shreyas Iyer and then with Double Centurion Sarfraz Khan put Mumbai innings back on track. Rock solid Batsman Sarfraz Khan scored unbeaten 222 runs which enabled Ranji Champions to reach 537 runs in 141 overs.


The New Hero

Real hero of this Irani Cup match was Tanush Kotian, an allrounder. The 26-year-old, a resident of Kannamwar Nagar, Vikhroli is a find of the season. His father Karunakaran Kotian is also a well-known name in Mumbai’s maidan cricket. Tanush also imbibed cricket from his father. He has progressed well making rapid strides in at national level.

A product of IES School, Dadar he is now the "Talk of the Town" by his exploits on field in Ranji Trophy tournament 2023-24. He got the Best Player Award for his eye catching all round performance. Last season, he scored a brilliant century and shared last wicket century record partnership with Tushar Deshpande, who also scored a maiden century.

"Bap se Beta Sawai"

Karuna is proud of his son’s performance. He wished his son should play in the IPL and Tanush did play in the IPL a solitary game for RR. Irani Trophy match performance 64, 114 not out, and 27-2-101-3 plus the spectacular catch to dismiss Abhimanyu Easwaran for 191 is noteworthy.

The Rising Star of Mumbai Cricket is marching towards further glory as new season of Ranji Trophy is beginning from October 11 with Mumbai the holders meeting Baroda. All eyes will be on Mumbai’s team performance in the opening encounter and the blue eyed boy Tanush.

Mumbai Cricket’s glorious achievement is the fruit of efforts taken by Ajinkya Rahane and his talented team members, coach Salvi, support staff, selectors and zealous band of Mumbai Cricket Associations officials.

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