![Indian cricket team [Source: @BCCI/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1756206711647_cricket.jpg?type=mq)
Indian cricket team [Source: @BCCI/x]
For decades, Indian sport has revolved around a familiar centrepiece, cricket. However, shifting preferences among the younger generation now hint at a new era in the making. What once stood as the nation’s unchallenged passion now finds itself sharing space with fresh pursuits that are steadily capturing young hearts.
Recent surveys and participation trends suggest that while cricket continues to command unmatched viewership, disciplines like badminton, basketball, and even motorsports are steadily chipping away at its monopoly.
Cricket Dips In Popularity, Motorsport Rises In Explosive Survey
According to the Nielsen Fan Insights 2025 study, as reported by Business-Standard, cricket is witnessing a notable dip in the overall following among Indian youth. Football, the most popular team sport in the world, is also suffering a similar fate in India, as per the survey.
The study indicates that cricket’s popularity has fallen from 75 percent in 2019 to 70 percent in 2025. Football, on the other hand, slipped from 59 percent to 57 percent in the same timeframe. Kabaddi suffered the biggest decline, falling from 55 percent to 49 percent.
During the same period, other sports like basketball, motorsports, MMA and golf recorded sharp climbs, with each of the aforementioned sports gaining at least four percent points.
That being said, cricketing events like Indian Premier League (IPL) fixtures or any ICC event matches like World Cup games still fetch large turnouts and continue to dominate the revenue ecosystem, attracting the lion’s share of sponsorship deals and broadcast rights in the Indian sporting market.
However, the rise of other sports signals a healthy diversification of India’s sporting culture, broadening opportunities for athletes, fans, and stakeholders alike.
