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Abstract
Despite the widespread dispersal of Indians across the globe, there is one thing that ensures the continuation of the ethnic Indian identity – the game of cricket. This article examines the important role cricket plays in creating an Indian identity, both in India and in Indian communities overseas. I briefly trace the history of cricket in India, as during British colonial rule the game was embraced and then turned from a game of the rulers into a decolonized ‘truly Indian’ sport. The ability sport has to create feelings of an imagined community is one that has been noted heavily over the years – the ability to enjoy the sport does not discriminate in India, and the individual consumes sport not as an individual, but as a part of larger society. I argue that cricket occupies a unique position, in particular manages to ensure the continuation and unity of the Indian identity, as well as being an ideal tool for nation-building. Finally, I demonstrate how cricket helps to create and maintain overseas Indian communities where cricket remains one of the few direct ties to India.
Notes
1 CitationBairner, ‘Sport, Nationalism and Globalization’.
2 CitationLechner, ‘Imagined Communities in the Global Game’.
3 CitationKelly, ‘Is Baseball a Global Sport?’
4 CitationCrawford, ‘Consuming Sport’.
5 CitationAppadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 30.
6 For a detailed history of the introduction and development of cricket in India, see Guha, Citation2002.
7 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 33.
8 CitationNandy, ‘The Tao of Cricket’, 1.
9 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 24.
10 Ibid., 38.
11 CitationRumford, ‘More than a Game’, 99.
12 CitationKavoori, ‘The Logistics of Globalization’, 165.
13 CitationBose, ‘The Magic of Indian Cricket’.
14 Rumford, ‘More than a Game’.
15 Kavoori, ‘The Logistics of Globalization’, 154.
16 Ibid., 161.
17 Crawford, ‘Consuming Sport’, 106.
18 CitationMcClancy, ‘Sport, Identity and Ethnicity’.
19 Rumford, ‘More than a Game’, 96.
20 Bairner, ‘Sport, Nationalism and Globalization’, 1.
21 McClancy, ‘Sport, Identity and Ethnicity’, 2.
22 CitationCronin and Mayall, ‘Sport and Ethnicity’, 2.
23 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 31.
24 CitationJoseph, ‘India: An Unnatural Cricketing Nation’.
25 CitationStoddart, ‘Other Cultures’, 153.
26 CitationSardesai, ‘Icons Across Borders’, 32.
27 CitationTrehan, ‘More Than Cricket’, 53–55.
28 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 43.
29 Stoddart, ‘Other Cultures’, 45.
30 CitationCashman, ‘The Subcontinent’.
31 CitationNarayanan, ‘The Indian Spectator’.
32 CitationWerbner, ‘Imagined Diasporas Among Manchester Muslims’.
33 Narayanan, ‘The Indian Spectator’, 209.
34 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’.
35 CitationStoddard, ‘Sport Around the Indian Diaspora’, 115.
36 CitationWarrier, ‘Cricket at Lords’.
37 Joseph, ‘India: An Unnatural Cricketing Nation’, 127.
38 Stoddard, ‘Sport Around the Indian Diaspora’.
39 CitationHarris and Parker, ‘Introduction to Sport and Social Identities’, 7.
40 Crawford, ‘Consuming Sport’, 107.
41 CitationBauman, ‘Liquid Modernity’.
42 The countries, are allowed to play at the highest level (of Test matches), are in alphabetical order: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. The next level is the associate countries; more details can be found at http://www.cricinfo.com.
43 CitationKaufman and Patterson, ‘Cross-national Cultural Diffusion’.
44 Rumford, ‘More than a Game’, 94.
45 Ibid., 95.
46 CitationIsmail, ‘Batting Against the Break’, 99.
47 Ibid.
48 Appadurai, ‘Playing with Modernity’, 44.