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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.

Intra-alliance battles catch attention

Mumbai: Mahayuti and Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are going head-to-head in the Assembly Elections making the battle chaotic. Despite official candidates being declared by both the alliances, there is a huge difference of opinions within the alliances even after the date of withdrawal of nomination has surpassed. In several constituencies, the allies have fielded their candidates against each other. Reasons behind this kind of infighting within the alliance could be multiple ranging from independent political aspirations, ego clashes, ideological differences, no will to let go hold over a particular region, political rivalry, so on and so forth. Bottomline is that close to two weeks ahead of the Assembly battle, MVA and Mahayuti have multiple official contenders within their respective alliances.

Here are a few key constituencies that form classic examples explaining the tricky situation.


Intra-alliance battles

Mankhurd-Shivajinagar, Mumbai

Nawab Malik (NCP) vs Suresh Patil (Shiv Sena)

Suresh ‘Bullet’ Patil was the first to bag the ticket. The NCP breached the alliance dharma by fielding Nawab Malik. This constituency also sees three-term incumbent MLA Abu Asim Azmi as a Samajwadi Party candidate supported by the MVA.



Intra-alliance battles

Anushaktinagar, Mumbai

Sana Malik (NCP) vs Tukaram Kate (Shiv Sena)

Sana, daughter of Nawab Malik, was the official Mahayuti candidate. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde fielded Tukaram Kate breaching the alliance’s understanding. Kate had won from this constituency in 2014 but lost to Nawab Malik in 2019.



Intra-alliance battles

Deolali, Nashik

Saroj Ahire (NCP) vs Rajshree Ahirrao (Shiv Sena)

There is a fierce battle between two Mahayuti candidates here. Both are claiming that they deserved the candidature.




Intra-alliance battles

Morshi, Amaravati

Devendra Bhuyar (NCP) vs Umesh Yawalkar (BJP)

An Independent Devendra Bhuyar had clinched victory in 2019 from Morshi. This time, Bhuyar is an official candidate of the NCP. Since the BJP has been traditionally fighting from this seat the party has fielded Umesh Yawalkar against the alliance’s understanding.



Intra-alliance battles

Aashti, Beed

Suresh Dhas (BJP) vs Balasaheb Ajbe (NCP)

The BJP and NCP both are fighting elections from this constituency traditionally. None of them was willing to withdraw. Hence, they are pitted against each other.


Intra-alliance battles

Purandar, Pune

Vijay Shivtare (Shiv Sena) vs Sambhaji Jhende (NCP)

The NCP’s candidature in this constituency is an outcome of its arch rivalry against Vijay Shivtare. Both of them want to settle personal scores in this constituency. In 2019, Congress’ Sanjay Jagtap had won this seat by defeating Purandare.



Sangola, Solapur

Deepak Salunkhe (Shiv Sena, UBT) vs Babasaheb Deshmukh (PWP)

The PWP has been traditionally contesting from this constituency. Babasaheb Deshmukh’s grandfather the late Ganpatrao Deshmukh represented Sangola for record 11 times. His grandson staked his claim but Shiv Sena (UBT) has a different plan.

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