Benefits of the Game of Cricket for Kids

“And Sachin just entered the ground holding his bat and it seems that the Master Blaster is ready to hit the ground again with his energetic batting… The spirit of the Indian crowd is also in its zenith…. The opposition also seems to be in their full preparation to beat India at any cost… We all are hoping to witness a fiery cricket match at Eden Garden today… The pair of Little Master Sachin Tendulkar and the Bengal Tiger Saurav Ganguly made magic in the earlier cricket matches also… The Bengal people are hoping the same thing in this match too…”. In every corner of the country of India, one can witness the spirit of cricket. In every house of the country, we can find one future Sachin or Dhoni. The gali or street cricket can be called the brand mark of the country. Cricket is not only a game, but a very good physical exercise too. When we were kids, we used to rush to our nearby ground to play cricket. There are many sports played in India, but every sport has its own level of popularity. The Government of India spends a large amounts of money every year to promote this game in the country. Cricket is not just a game in this country; it is almost a religion.

Earlier, the parents were reluctant to allow their children to make a profession of their favorite sport. As the time has changed, the mentality of the parents has also changed. The sports games are flourishing so well, because of the big money and fame involved that now the sports game has turned in to a professional choice. The game of cricket has multiple benefits to offer to the grownups. While cricket provides the excitement of competition, it also provides physical, mental and social benefits to both children and adults that pick up the bat and stare down the cricket pitch. Some of the benefits of the game of cricket are briefly discussed below-

• Health Benefits- It is a well known fact that the outdoor games attach many health benefits, and the game of cricket is not an exception. Bowling, batting and catching the ball require gross motor skills. These are such activities that make the large body muscles to work. In the game of cricket, it is very important to maintain the stamina for long hours. Children learn the importance of having good physical health through the match of cricket.
• Coordination and Mental Benefits- The hand-eye coordination is an important skill that can be learnt from this game. Say for example, when a bowler goes for bowling, the sportsman needs to be conscious about the position of the batsman and at the same time should concentrate on putting required pressure on the arms. These skills are especially important for children to develop at an early age.
• Social Benefits- Cricket is a team sport. In it, every player must develop the team spirit to working in harmony with each other to win the match. Children playing cricket learn cooperation and other social skills, while building a sense of pride and accomplishment when their team wins.

The modern day schools are also taking steps to promote this game in the school premises. In the school annual sports week, different schools organize inter-school and intra-school cricket competitions to encourage the young players towards this game.