Cricket Dominates India's Streaming Viewership
· news
Cricket’s Unyielding Grip on India’s Streaming Habits
The latest Ormax StreamView report solidifies cricket’s position as the dominant force in India’s streaming preferences. The sport continues to draw massive viewership numbers, leaving other genres and content types in its wake.
Cricket’s popularity is not surprising given India’s passion for the sport and its rich cultural significance. However, it raises questions about the country’s content landscape and whether other genres are being squeezed out by cricket’s gravitational pull. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 drew an estimated 246 million viewers on JioHotstar, a staggering number that underscores the staying power of sports programming in India.
The Indian Premier League 2026 came second with 228.4 million viewers, further emphasizing the dominance of sports content. Original content, however, struggled to match these numbers. “India’s Got Latent” Season 2 led all non-sports properties with a projected lifetime viewership of 38.5 million across 10 episodes.
Other genres are also gaining traction. Web-series and international content are becoming increasingly popular, with Prime Video’s “Off Campus” leading the charge with 8 million viewers. Amazon MX Player’s “Made in India: A Titan Story” came second with 17.8 million viewers, while Netflix’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” topped international films with 7.2 million.
Despite these gains, cricket remains the clear favorite among Indian audiences. Streaming platforms must invest more in non-sports genres to cater to diverse tastes and interests. This will require a balance between sports programming and original content, as well as investment in diverse formats, languages, and genres.
The accuracy of viewership numbers is also a concern. Ormax StreamView uses primary research among a sample of over 3,000 respondents, combining online surveys with a dedicated audience panel. The figures represent unduplicated individual viewers who watched a title for at least 30 minutes, excluding overseas viewership and short-form video content.
As India’s streaming market continues to grow, it is essential for platforms to adapt and innovate to meet changing audience demands. With cricket remaining the dominant force in India’s streaming habits, it will be up to streaming platforms to create a more diverse and inclusive content ecosystem that caters to all tastes and preferences. The Ormax StreamView report serves as a reminder that there are other players on the field, waiting to be noticed, but for now, cricket remains king.
Reader Views
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
Cricket's stranglehold on India's streaming habits is more than just a numbers game - it's also a reflection of the country's economic realities. For many viewers, watching cricket is not just an entertainment choice but also an investment in their emotional and financial well-being. Streaming platforms should prioritize diversity within sports content, not just variety across genres. With the proliferation of affordable data plans and 4G networks, cricket has become an affordable indulgence for millions. As such, platforms must strike a balance between high-stakes cricket coverage and under-resourced original content to avoid exacerbating India's growing content inequality.
- CSCorrespondent S. Tan · field correspondent
The dominance of cricket in India's streaming landscape raises concerns about content homogenization. While it's undeniable that sports programming has a massive following, platforms like JioHotstar and Prime Video need to strike a balance between cricket matches and original content. This might involve partnering with regional content creators or investing in niche genres like documentary series and reality TV shows. A more diversified content slate would not only cater to India's diverse tastes but also help reduce dependence on a single genre, ultimately creating a healthier ecosystem for streaming platforms.
- ADAnalyst D. Park · policy analyst
While cricket's dominance in India's streaming landscape is undeniable, its overwhelming presence raises concerns about content homogenization and viewer fatigue. Streaming platforms mustn't solely rely on sports programming to drive engagement; rather, they should actively curate and promote a diverse range of genres and formats. This requires a nuanced understanding of Indian audiences' preferences, which may not always align with global trends. In fact, Ormax's StreamView report highlights the success of Prime Video's "Off Campus" – a web-series that leverages India's growing appetite for local stories. By balancing sports programming with original content, platforms can foster a more inclusive and vibrant streaming ecosystem.