Beyond IPL & Cricket: Once Again, We Failed Our Athletes in Other Sports

Since the IPL started on March 28, athletes in other sports across India won numerous accolades, but they weren’t celebrated by the nation

India is a cricket-crazy country – a statement we all heard growing up, and unfortunately, in 2026, the country’s stance remains the same. Despite franchise-based sports tournaments, government promotions, and even celebrity endorsements, other sports and their athletes receive very little support from us, the citizens of this nation.

Do you know that since this year’s IPL started on March 28, athletes in other sports won numerous international accolades, but as always, you and I didn’t pay heed. A handful of people celebrated their success, and only a few media houses thought one article was enough to cover their story. No prime time shows, daily articles, background stories – nothing.

In this article, let us look at what India achieved beyond cricket and IPL.

Shooting

At the ISSF World Cup 2026 Granada, Mukesh Nelavalli and Palak Gulia won a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The duo not only won gold but also set a new world record, scoring 487.7 in the final, surpassing the previous record of 481.3 set by Uzbekistan’s Nigina Saidkulova and Mukhammad Kamalov.

Even at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2026, India topped the medal tally by winning 16 medals—five gold, six silver, and five bronze.

Boxing

In the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, India ended its campaign with 16 medals, including five gold, three silver, and eight bronze. India won the most medals but finished second overall.

Wrestling

At the Asian Wrestling Championships 2026, India won 17 medals, including 2 gold, 6 silver, and 9 bronze. Sujeet Kalkal and Abhimanyou Mandwal won gold medals.

Thomas Cup – Badminton

Among all the victories, India's Thomas Cup campaign in badminton stood out, especially after Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's disappointing statement. The Thomas Cup winner had vented his frustration by stating, “A medal for the country should be treated as a special thing. I don’t think the country; the officials respected the medal. Not one person at the airport asked me or anyone in the team.”

When an international player with multiple international achievements is pushed to express their disappointment with the country openly, it reflects how our attitude is towards other sports. There is no doubt that players such as Satwik and Chirag are the equivalent of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in badminton, but we simply did not care.

Once again, we, as a nation, failed our athletes in other sports, and it is time we start looking beyond cricket & IPL.

Curated for you

IPL 2026: May 1 to May 8 – A Crazy Week That Left Fans Questioning the League

As Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a nine-run thriller, several on social media platforms questioned the integrity of the tournament In the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), all the teams have played 10 games and are merely four matches away from either reaching the playoffs ...

buzztribe.news is our initiative through which we wish to create a journalistic impact that acts as the foundation of an informed and happy society. In a world that’s changing fast, joy is fleeting, and the news is disturbing, we bring you your daily dose of buzzworthy news that has the “joy of knowledge” and the “happiness in truth” at its core.

More from Buzztribe News

Get in Touch

39A,
Shanti Kunj Main, Sector D,
Vasant Kunj,
New Delhi
110070
India