How much does cricket cost India’s GDP?

So, Amit, I have never been a cricket watcher. This has been, in some sense, my “competitive advantage” all through my educational career- didn’t have to waste time watching sZ#$%^ cricket matches (they were 5 days then), and could instead focus on other ways to waste my time.

I think India’s fascination for cricket has only grown further in the last couple of decades. What would be a good way of estimating the value of the time lost by Indian business in watching, discussing, and otherwise obsessing over cricket?

Let me take a guesstimate- India’s GDP x % of services and industry x % days/year cricket is played x % of day spent on cricket at office.

= $ 1.22 trillion x 83% (services + industry) x approx 100/365 (days of cricket) x 15% (of days discussing/watching)

= $42 billion very very conservatively.

This figure, if true, would put the Indian IT services industry to shame.

Kuch karo yaar! This is a *colossal* waste of time!