It is not easy being an Indian sports fan. For years, it hasn’t been. And the story has hardly changed. India rarely wins anything big in sport, and that’s a reality which hasn’t changed much. Even in cricket, a sport India dominates financially, it’s Australia, England and West Indies that have taken home the trophies that matter in the past decade. The last ICC trophy was won 10 years ago, and yet, the Indian fan has stayed true. The minuscule section of toxic supporters notwithstanding, the Indian fan is largely used to suffering heartbreaks. And yet, they don’t give up. Just days after the World Cup final, an inconsequential India-Australia series was played to packed stands. The fans were there to back the team within days of being handed the greatest disappointment of all.
Move on from cricket, and the story stays the same with football. Few had felt that India stood a chance in the AFC Asian cup. And yet, the stadium was all blue on both match days, against Australia and Uzbekistan. So what if India conceded three goals and played a poor first half against Uzbekistan? The fans continue to live in hope and will throng the stadium yet again for the game against Syria on January 23. Yes, they might be angry with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu or Sunil Chhetri, but that’s only for a day. They are our own, and remain so. Come the World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in March, and yet again, fans will travel from all parts of India and the world to back the Blue Tigers. For, that’s who we are and what we stand for.
Big Game!! Big Crowd!!
Indian Fans have assembled at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium!@Rahul_01Giri and @Swapnil_0114 bring the scenes from the stadium.@ThumsUpOfficial #AsianCup2023 #INDvUZB pic.twitter.com/cr1me59RTd
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 18, 2024
Let’s make one thing very clear. Yes, the fans are hurting. But each of the women who played the Olympic hockey qualifier against Japan is hurting more. We know that and feel for the girls. That’s why we know that it is always the in thing to back the blue – be it in cricket, football or hockey. Except those who are in it for social media currency, the real fan will always be with the teams, through good times and bad. More bad, for, in sport, you will always lose more than you will win.
Take the story of India in the Olympic Games for example. Each day, you turn up hoping for the medal, and more often than not, you go back disappointed. Call it the curse of sport or the curse of being an Indian fan – heartbreak is commonplace if you back the blue. But then, that’s what it is all about. Despite all the trials and tribulations, you stay true to the flag. Live in hope and optimism that there will be a Neeraj Chopra, a Virat Kohli, a PV Sindhu or a Satwik-Chirag to lift your spirits, and give you a new lifeline.
And when it happens, the blue billion come to life. In recent times, it has happened more frequently than before, and that’s what has given us hope. Maybe that’s why we will yet again turn up for the pro league when our girls play in Bhubaneshwar, or when Igor Stimac and his boys take field against Syria, or when India’s cricketers plays the T20 World Cup in the USA in June.
Wins and losses notwithstanding, the fans are there. That’s whenIndia becomes a collective, and a very proud one. We bleed blue in both victory and defeat, and stay with our players stronger than ever. We are the Indian sports fans. Unique and stubborn and, may I say, we won’t change.
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