A plea for the Blind Men in Blue

The celebrations are on for our victors in the 2018 World Cup in blind cricket. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that India would win. Win they did with a victory that was distinctively decisive! That too in such a toxic environment such as Sharjah, where the spectators and the commentators were so hostile.

The Indian Blind Cricket Team are truly the best in the world. They have lived up to the expectations of all the Indian fans.

The team have won tournaments consistently. Four World Cup victories is no mean feat. It is much more than what the normal Indian team have achieved. Time and again they have demonstrated that they are the best in the business, they are superior, they are unbeatable.

Today, they are an inspiration to the visually impaired and also to many other disabled children who can now look forward to achievements that hitherto they were only dreaming about. Now, more and more of these special children are taking up activities of their interest. I personally feel it is high time that this game gets its due recognition and support from the authorities.

BCCI

The administrative body for cricket in India must take CABI (Cricket Association for Blind in India) into its fold. This will enable Blind Cricket in India to get more recognition and financial stability. CABI and Samarthanam have been doing yeoman work to get the game going in the world, but they indeed have their limitations. Support from the BCCI can raise the game to a far higher level and under the able wings of BCCI, this can grow and become the BIG BANYAN TREE for the differently-abled in Indian sports.

Government

In the various interviews that the players have given, they have repeatedly requested for jobs as the number one requirement to spur them to greater heights. The Central Government and State Governments should provide opportunities in the form of jobs. They are definitely competent enough to hold jobs where visual impairment will not be a hindrance.

Some of these cricketers are post graduates from well-known universities. Their impairment has not affected their mental prowess, and their capacity to absorb new knowledge and develop logic skills is phenomenal. They are a rich source of talent and skills, and we should encourage and give them access to various job opportunities, including jobs that need strategic decision-making skills. I have seen them playing on the field, and the speed and ease with which they react to changing situations are simply amazing. Jobs will also help them continue to play their part in the development and growth of the game.

Private Sector

Some of the organizations in the private sector have been providing good support to the national team by way of sponsorship and other help, but more is required. Private sector organizations should set aside a certain percentage of their CSR funds to fund sports across the country. They can also help by creating more playing facilities such as grounds and stadiums either within the cities and towns or on the outskirts that can be accessed easily by road or local trains. Playgrounds are a critical necessity for these cricketers.

Current and Ex-cricketers

Many cricketers have lauded this win at World Cup 2018. Mr Syed Kirmani has been a huge source of inspiration and strength and has often mentored the team. Rahul Dravid was a brand ambassador too. Many have sent tweets to congratulate the team. But that’s not enough. Your open support will certainly help to spur the authorities into action. In the other countries that play blind cricket, the government and the cricket governing bodies have the blind cricketers already within their fold, and provide financial support, encouragement and necessary facilities. If they can do it, why can’t we?

Media

We are all well aware that the media can play critical roles in providing the right type of visibility to any sport. In Blind Cricket, we have a National Team that have consistently been at the top in all the cricketing formats in the past. A very pleasing news-worthy subject for the media.

I don’t want to sound critical, but the coverage of this World Cup for the Blind lacked sincerity and depth. We have real heroes in Ajay Kumar Reddy, Prakash Jayaramaiah, Deepak Malik, Venkateshwara Rao, Sunil Ramesh and Jafar Iqbal who were all shining stars in the entire tournament. These, and others, deserve to be promoted, because each of them has won games for India.

One possible way is for sports journalists to publish interviews with them in prominent newspapers and magazines. I can assure you that some of them are good interview material. They are articulate and highly knowledgeable about the game. Another way is to provide coverage of warm-up matches that are arranged so that they can get more visibility. In the run-up to the World Cup, the Blind Cricket Team played warm-up matches against private teams from the corporate sector. The visiting teams were astonished to see their performances. Maybe this can be done more often. I am sure that the players from the Corporate sector would be delighted to play.

We need to ensure that more advertisements are published to spread the word. Support from celebrities, business personalities, and political leaders will also be a big boost to the team and other aspiring sports personnel.

Ajay Reddy, the Indian Captain, said in one of his interviews that Sehwag had referred to them as the Other Men in Blue, and questioned that, saying that they are the Men in Blue because they too represent the country when they play international matches. You are right, Mr Ajay Reddy, you too are our Men in Blue. The only thing they lack is the swagger, and that they will learn soon.