As a nation, we Indians believe that cricket has been invented for everyone of us. Just as we giggle at the gawky way girls wield the bat or boys come and chuck the ball thinking they are Bumrah, we also believe that cricket is in everyone of us.
That is not true.
At least no more. The respect we show tennis or golf, we need to show towards cricket too. I don't know enough about basketball and baseball so I am not drawing comparisons.
Speed, strength, suppleness, stamina, hand-eye coordination, athleticism, and a superhuman sense of doing daring things at the right moment, are all a given.
There is also strategy. Science. Study of each player. It is all drilled down to an incredible level of detail. That is why you find a whole bunch full of experts with computers and coaches in each team.
The sheer physicality of playing in such hot and bright conditions takes a big toll.
Then there is the stress factor of scoring, curtailing, accelerating, etc. at required rates which is a big number game.
Then there is a whole lot of communication real-time between players.
Then there is uncontrollable stuff like pitches, weather, toss and so on.
Then there is motivation, ability to shut out the noise and the unwanted stuff to focus on the task of the moment.
Now layer on all this the following
1. Huge pressure to become and stay a star.
2. Politics of teams.
3. Money. Lots of it.
4. Pressure to feature in ads and be camera-ready.
5. Post match and pre match interviews.
6. Travel. LOTS of it.
7. Partying.
8. Tamashas like IPL.
9. Gambling and betting.
10. Match fixing.
Do you need me to tell you that cricket is no longer a game for everyone?
