Google Year in Search 2024: Hardik Pandya is India’s most searched sportsperson; IPL tops trends rank
The Indian all-rounder was a crucial part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad earlier this year. The Olympics was third in trends in sports in India.
Cricket
Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya was the most searched Indian sportsperson across the globe, as per Google Year in Search 2024, ranking seventh among the most searched sportspersons world-wide.
It has been a career-defining year for Hardik Pandya, who experienced the extreme highs and lows of sports in a matter of months.
Ahead of the season, the 31-year-old all-rounder made a shock move to Mumbai Indians after two seasons with Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. He was also made captain of the five-time champion team, but they finished at the bottom of the standings at the end of IPL 2024.
However, the ace Indian all-rounder bounced back with some vital contributions in the T20 World Cup 2024 a few weeks later, which helped Hardik Pandya regain his status as one of the best cricketers in the country.
In the final of the T20 World Cup against South Africa, Hardik Pandya returned figures of 3/20 in three overs, which included two crucial overs in the death.
While cricket dominated the search trends in India this year, no Indian sports team made the top 10 among the most searched teams in the world.
The IPL was the top trending overall search in India ahead of the T20 World Cup. The Olympics (5th), Pro Kabaddi League (9th) and Indian Super League (10th) were the other sporting events present in the top 10 overall trends.
In sports trends in India, the IPL, T20 World Cup and the Olympics occupied the top three slots.
Among the top trending searches for matches in the world, India vs England (4th) and India vs Bangladesh (7th) featured in the top 10.
Five of the top 10 trending people in India were sportspersons - Vinesh Phogat (1st), Hardik Pandya (4th), Shashank Singh (6th), Abhishek Sharma (9th) and Lakshya Sen (10th).
Vinesh Phogat topped the trending people list in India for 2024. Earlier this year, Vinesh made it to the final of the women’s 50kg wrestling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics but was disqualified later for being overweight. Lakshya Sen, who narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal in badminton, also featured in the top 10.
Cricketers Abhishek Sharma and Shashank Singh, who shone in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, respectively, also made the list.
Google Year in Search 2024: Top trending searches for sports events in India
- Indian Premier League
- T20 World Cup
- Olympics
- Pro Kabaddi League
- Indian Super League
- Women’s Premier League
- Copa America
- Duleep Trophy
- UEFA Euro
- Under-19 World Cup