Opinion Najeeb Jung writes: Division is easy, outrage is cheap – sports teaches a different lesson

This same theme is played out in other sports — in football, in hockey or any other sport that we participate in. Syed Rahim coached the Indian football team to glory as Syed Nayeemuddin captained India as did Yusuf Khan and Jarnail Singh. Sikh hockey players brought repeated glory even as Mary Kom and now Nikhat Zareen bring laurels in boxing. Sport is replete with these examples.

And yet, at times even sport has not remained entirely untouched by India’s religious sensitivities. There have been moments when Muslim or Sikh cricketers have been unfairly criticised or subjected to suspicion. The most prominent example in recent memory was Mohammed Shami’s experience after the 2021 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan. India lost the match, and Shami — one of the few Muslim players in the team — was subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media. He was trolled viciously, with many insinuating that his religion had made him less loyal to the national cause.

Much to everyone’s disgust, Arshdeep Singh was trolled when he dropped a catch while playing against Pakistan. But what followed was equally revealing. Teammates, past legends, and the broader cricket community rallied around Shami and Arshdeep. Virat Kohli, then the Indian captain, issued a powerful statement condemning the abuse, calling out religious bigotry, and defending his teammates in unequivocal terms. His words resonated deeply with millions of Indians who were appalled at the targeting of national players based on religion. But these incidents, while serious and concerning, remain exceptions. The broader narrative is one of inclusion and unity, where sport has often acted as a balm, offering moments of national cohesion in an otherwise divided polity.

Sport may unify, but it cannot entirely escape the undertow of communalism that affects all public life in India. However, each such incident also becomes an opportunity — where the public and sporting fraternity reassert the foundational values of secularism and merit on every such occasion. Sport provides moments of pure national joy that cut across caste, class and religious lines. The 1983 World Cup victory in cricket or the 2007 T20 triumph, and the 2011 World Cup win are etched into the consciousness of every Indian. The same feelings ran through the nation when our athletes performed well at the Olympics or the Asian and Commonwealth Games. In those moments, the nation was not Hindu or Muslim or Christian — it was simply Indian. People celebrated in mosques, temples, churches and gurdwaras alike. Flags waved in all neighbourhoods, urban or rural, rich or poor, majority or minority. In those nights of triumph, sport did something no policy or speech could: It made Indians feel like one people.

India is at a delicate moment in its democratic journey. Religious polarisation has increased in some quarters, and public discourse is often fraught. But cricket, and sport in general, remains an oasis where pluralism thrives. That players of all faiths continue to be selected, cheered and honoured is a testament to the sport’s unique place in the Indian psyche. How pleasing it is when a Neeraj Chopra embraces an Arshad Nadeem and touches the latter’s mother’s feet in respect. But this harmony cannot be taken for granted. Institutions like the BCCI, football, hockey, wrestling, badminton, shooting federations or cricket academies, schools, and the media must actively work to promote inclusivity. Religious identity should neither be a qualification nor a disqualification. Performance, character and discipline must remain the only criteria. At the same time, fans must be made aware of the dangers of communalising sports.

Booing a player based on religion is not just wrong — it is un-Indian. The message must be clear: In blue, we are one. Sports is the only religion in India that does not discriminate. It is played by all, loved by all, and celebrated by all. It brings joy in a way that no temple, mosque, or gurdwara can promise. At a time when division is easy and outrage is cheap, sports reminds us of what we can be — an India where a Muslim fast bowler, a Sikh spinner, a Christian batter, a Hindu captain, a Sikh hockey captain, a girl shooter or wrestler, a Christian or Muslim boxer, or badminton players win together, lose together, and always play together.

That is the India we cheer for. That is the India we must strive to protect.

The writer is former vice-chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, former Lt Governor of Delhi, and currently, chairman, Advanced Study Institute of Asia