Formation of committee for disability cricket in India, a welcome step

A physically challenged cricketer in action during a T20 match

December 4 was a red-letter day for disability cricketers in India. For the first time, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the formation of the differently-abled committee as per the provisions in the new constitution approved by the Supreme Court.

The decision to form the committee was taken during the Annual General Meeting at Kolkata, where other panels like the umpires, tours, fixtures and technical committees were also formed under the leadership of president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah.

With disability cricket (physically challenged, blind and deaf) coming into the BCCI fold, the decade-old struggle to get an official tag has finally ended.

Disability cricket will be more streamlined under BCCI, feel those who have been running the show for all these years.

Countries like England, Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh have a separate wing for disability cricket under their national boards.

When the BCCI took women's cricket under its wings in 2006, the real evolution of the game began. The Indian eves now have annual contracts just like their men counterparts.

The differently-abled cricketers would be optimistic with this decision by the BCCI.

Although the Justice Lodha Committee, through the Supreme Court ruling, mandated the BCCI to form the differently-abled committee, the effort to get the Indian cricket board's recognition has been work in progress for decades.

Late former India captain Ajit Wadekar was the first to initiate cricket for the physically challenged. He then had meetings with past BCCI presidents, but the wait continued.

Even after the Apex court's first ruling in 2016, it has taken nearly five years to form the differently-abled committee.

Several attempts were made to ensure it happened during the 33-month stint of the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). However, all that they approved was authorising India's official entry for the inaugural T20 Physical Disability World Cricket Series in England in August 2019.

When seasoned administrators came back to power in October 2019, the efforts were once again channelised to reach out to president Ganguly, secretary Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal. After relentless efforts, Shah finally gave his consent and the historic decision to form a three-member differently-abled committee was taken.