Cricket is widely regarded as the national sport of which of the following countries?

Introduction / Context:
Many competitive exams include questions on national symbols and national sports of various countries. Even though some countries do not have an official national game declared by law, certain sports are widely accepted as national sports because of historical popularity and cultural importance. Cricket is such a sport for a few cricket loving nations. This question asks you to identify which country among the given options is widely known for considering cricket as its national sport.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sport in focus is cricket.
• We have to select the country where cricket is widely regarded as the national sport.
• The options are Australia, India, Canada, and Spain.
• We work with commonly accepted general knowledge sources used in exams.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall textbook style general knowledge where certain matches of sport and country are repeatedly emphasised. Australia has a very strong cricketing culture and is often cited in exam material as the country where cricket is treated as the national sport. India is also extremely passionate about cricket, but many sources point out that India does not have any officially declared national game. Canada is known more for ice hockey and lacrosse, while Spain is famous for football. So, by eliminating less likely options and using standard exam references, Australia stands out.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the question is about cricket as a national sport. Step 2: Consider each country and think of the sport most strongly associated with it in textbook general knowledge. Step 3: For Australia, recognise that cricket is deeply rooted and often taught as the national game in exam books. Step 4: For India, remember that cricket is extremely popular but that general knowledge notes frequently state that India does not have an officially declared national game. Step 5: For Canada and Spain, recall that other sports are more strongly linked to them, and then choose Australia.

Verification / Alternative check:
A helpful verification strategy is to match each country with the sport most often highlighted in basic GK tables. Australia is associated with cricket and has produced many world champions and legends. India is associated with cricket in popular culture but is also linked with hockey in older GK, and there is a clear note in many modern references that India has no official national sport. Canada is connected with ice hockey and lacrosse, while Spain is linked with football and major clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid. This comparison confirms that cricket as a national sport is conventionally paired with Australia in exam contexts.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
India: Cricket is the most popular sport in India, but general knowledge references highlight that India does not legally declare any national game, which makes this option unsuitable for exam style questions on national sports.
Canada: Canada is traditionally known for ice hockey and also for lacrosse, not for cricket as its primary national sport.
Spain: Spain is a football powerhouse and is strongly associated with football rather than cricket, so matching Spain with cricket as a national sport would be incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is to choose India because of its overwhelming cricket craze and to assume that popularity automatically means national sport status. Another mistake is to ignore the cultural and historical associations of other countries such as Canada and Spain. Aspirants should carefully revise lists of national sports and also remember the modern clarification that India does not declare an official national game. Keeping these nuances in mind prevents errors in similar questions.

Final Answer:
Cricket is widely regarded as the national sport of Australia, so option A is correct in the context of standard exam general knowledge.