Cricket should first fetch eight World Cup before it replaces hockey as India's national sport, according to the Olympians.

"Make cricket India's national sport, but first they should win eight World Cups because it is not an Olympic sport," said two-time Olympian Baljeet Singh Saini.

Three-time Olympian Baljeet Singh Dhillon echoed his view and said though the cricket team has been doing well but hockey's glorious past should not be forgotten either.

"The Indian cricket team is doing well these days and deserve to be called the number one team but one should not forget that hockey has won eight gold medals in the Olympics despite lack of facilities," he said.

Player-turned-coach Vasudev Bhaskaran, who led India to its eighth Olympic gold in 1980 Moscow Games, said it hardly makes a difference whether hockey remains the national sport considering the abysmal state of affairs.

"Hockey might be the national sport but it has never got its due that goes with this status. I don't think it makes a difference to hockey," he said.