There are countless reasons to play sports: they’re fun, they’re a great way to bond with friends, and they can have benefits to your mind and body.
Sometimes though, the weather can get in the way. It’s not so fun playing football when it’s bitterly cold or cricket during torrential rain. Even when there’s no wind, high levels of pollution in the air can make it unpleasant to play.
That’s where indoor sports have the upper hand, providing a year-round alternative to outdoor sports with no risk of the weather getting in the way. There are best sports anime available, with sports betting included.
Here are some of the best indoor sports you’ll find in India.
Chess
It may not be the most physically demanding of sports, but don’t let that fool you. Chess has been loved by Indians for generations thanks to its strategic elements and high levels of competition.
It’s great for improving your focus and concentration, as well as your
ability to think strategically and perform under pressure.
You don’t even need much to get started, just a chess set and a flat surface to put it on.
Table Tennis
Whether you call it ping pong, whiff whaff or table tennis, this miniature indoor version of lawn tennis is incredibly popular in India and throughout Asia. The speed in which some of the best professionals pass the ball back and forth across the playing surface is phenomenal.
Thanks to the small footprint of a table tennis table, you don’t need a large sports venue to play a game. You’ll still find yourself working up a sweat though as you repeatedly dart from one side of the table to the other to make sure you can return the ball.
If you can’t find a proper ping pong table near you, then you can always improvise with any other flat surface and some small paddles.
Online Poker
Online poker is a poker card game enjoyed by people from almost all backgrounds. Players in the most prestigious tournaments, including the European Poker Tour, the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, and the World Series of Poker are incredibly diverse, making up people of all social classes and many nationalities. There are several famous players from India, including Muskan Sethi, a computer graduate who made her name in the sport by qualifying for a PokerStars TV show called Shark Cage.
You don't need to be a professional to play though, all you need is a pack of cards. Alternatively, online platforms are a great way to develop your skills and strategy, and you can even host your own games to play with friends.
Kabaddi
This traditional Indian sport has spread throughout India, first appearing in the Asian Games in 1990. Unlike the other sports we’ve looked at so far, Kabaddi is a full-contact game that can get pretty rough.
Two teams battle it out on a court (either circular or rectangular), with one player from an attacking team running into their opponent’s half. Once there, they must tag as many players from the other side as possible without being tackled.
What's more, the player must do it all on a single breath. To demonstrate that they haven’t inhaled, they must repeatedly shout “kabaddi” during their offensive raid. There’s also a 30 second time limit to prevent anyone with an inhuman lung capacity getting an advantage.
Snooker
Snooker is a sport that was created by members of the British armed forces that were stationed in India. Since then, it has become popular throughout the former British Empire, Europe and Asia.
It shares many similarities to billiards, using a similar table, cues and
balls. The main difference is that both players are trying to pot the same red balls, instead of having their own set.
Players are scored based on the number and value of balls that they pot during a frame, with 15 red balls each worth one point, and six coloured balls with different values.
Snooker is a great indoor game that can be played competitively or with friends, regardless of how good you are. There are even mobile and online versions of the game, although the skills required are somewhat different.
