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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.

Defeated Winner

Eknath Shinde’s political trajectory after the recent Maharashtra elections is one of paradoxes: a triumphant contender, yet a ‘defeated’ winner. Despite leading his Shiv Sena faction to a solid 57-seat performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shinde’s hopes of returning to the Chief Minister’s chair are slender, if any as the BJP, which emerged as the dominant force with 132 seats, is resolute in its demand for Devendra Fadnavis to serve as Chief Minister. Shinde’s recent announcement that PM Modi would have the final say over the CM’s post has practically paved the way for Fadnavis to return as CM again.


However, Shinde has balked at the prospect of being relegated to second fiddle. His reluctance to assume a subordinate role stems from a mix of pride and political acumen. Having once been Chief Minister at a critical juncture when the BJP needed to topple the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, Shinde’s acceptance of a second-in-command post at this point would be viewed as a demotion. However, the BJP’s insistence on naming Fadnavis or one of their leaders as Chief Minister seems to be a non-negotiable point, creating a standoff that is unlikely to resolve itself in Shinde’s favour.


What lies ahead for Shinde, then? While the immediate prospect of returning to the CM’s office appears dim, his future is far from bleak. It is likely that he will find a way to retain influence in the government, potentially through an important portfolio or even by taking on a role in the Union Cabinet, should the BJP look to placate him.


Moreover, Shinde’s importance within the Shiv Sena remains clear, especially given his control over a significant portion of the party’s grassroots support. Should he remain a key figure in the government, his leadership in Maharashtra’s ongoing political realignment will shape his future. There is a tantalizing speculation here: In the medium term, Shinde may even position himself as a shadow contender for the CM’s post in the next election, particularly if the BJP’s hegemony over the state starts to erode in an unlikely event.


Whether the Mahayuti can transform its electoral mandate into a stable administration will depend on its leaders’ ability to rise above personal ambitions and focus on the larger task of delivering on their promises to the people.


The stakes are high for all parties involved. The BJP, buoyed by its record-breaking performance, risks appearing overbearing if it ignores the demands of its allies. Conversely, Shinde must navigate the fine line between asserting his party’s relevance and jeopardizing the alliance’s cohesion.


In the days ahead, the real test will be whether Shinde’s potential sidelining becomes a liability for the alliance—or whether his eventual role, however diminished, can be framed as a testament to the coalition’s unity. For now, Maharashtra watches as its triumphant victors grapple with the burdens of victory.

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