Lucknow
The British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, believes that there is significant potential for sports tourism between the UK and India. He sees an opportunity for sports tourism to grow, especially with the ongoing cricket World Cup. Ellis expressed the hope that the 2023 edition of the World Cup in India will increase awareness of new India in the UK and encourage British fans to visit the country. In 2019, when the UK hosted the World Cup, there was a significant increase in tourists from India. Ellis also mentioned that England will be returning to India next year for a Test series, which can further enhance cultural exchange between the two nations. He emphasized the importance of an inclusive approach to facilitate sports tourism and provide fans with easy access to watch games. Ellis, who is a cricket fan himself, ranked himself 14th on a scale of one to 10 in terms of cricket fandom. In addition to the World Cup, Ellis expressed his enthusiasm for cricket’s return to the Olympics. Cricket, which was played only once in the Summer Games in 1900, is set to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He hopes that cricket can expand worldwide, as it is a great game that deserves a global audience. Regarding England’s performance in the ongoing World Cup, Ellis acknowledged that it has not been as good as they expected. He noted India’s strong performance and England’s potential as they hold both the 50-over and T20 world trophies. Ellis attributed England’s performance to being out of form rather than their playing style. He also commented on England’s aggressive style of play, stating that it works well for them. According to Ellis, the issue is not about being too aggressive or not aggressive enough; it’s a matter of form and performance.
