Disability no hindrance for Ajit Wadekar Warriors

Former India captain, the late Ajit Wadekar, must be smiling from the heavens. His dream to see the India Physically Disabled team on the international stage is starting to realise.

The Wadekar Warriors are all set to display their extraordinary talent in the six-nation T20 Physical Disability World Series in Worcester, England, from August 5, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave permission to the All-India Cricket Association for the Physically Challenged (AICAPC) to field an official Indian team for the tournament in April.

One could see the excitement on the faces of the England-bound Indian cricketers as their captain Vikrant Keni and coach Sulakshan Kulkarni addressed media in the customary pre-departure press conference at a seven-star hotel in Bandra a couple of days ago.

Positivity and optimism were palpable all over, dismissing all the negative thoughts and destiny’s injustice of denying them nature’s gifts in various form.

The eagerness to perform and show the world that they are no less than others in any way was visible in the eyes and the body language of these players, serving a lesson to those with lack of hope and belief. Having worked hard in the extreme hot weather of Shegaon, a village in Maharashtra, the Indian team has some serious talent. And former Mumbai cricketer and coach Kulkarni is a witness to it.

Kulkarni doesn’t shy away from revealing that three or four players can easily play in India’s most celebrated cricket tournament — the Indian Premier League. He is in the awe of their acrobatic fielding skills and goes on to compare his wicket-keeper to Australian great Rod Marsh. Then they have a batsman who can hit as far as 120-m sixes and some bowlers who can touch 140 km per hour.

While English conditions usually worry the Indian teams, this squad is far too excited to play there. The coach claims to have bowlers for all conditions and they are only keen to take up the challenge.

What can cause problems in India lifting the trophy is the disability criteria. While England recognises 15% of disability, the Asian countries consider 40%. Thus, the hosts could prove to be a tougher challenge to the other teams. But, gauging the atmosphere in the Indian team, the disability criteria is the least of its concern. Just like pace and swinging conditions, they are ready to take on every challenge that comes their way.

The entry into the tournament was not smooth for the team due to politics. There are four different associations for physically-challenged cricket. And on the suggestion of BCCI, all of them came under one umbrella that gave the players a chance to fly to the United Kingdom. However, two of them have backed out for various reasons. But, despite lack of financial support from BCCI, sponsorships, too, wasn’t an issue as the team got enough well-wishers and Wadekar’s friends to help them out.

However, politics or any other roadblock is no hindrance for India’s physically-disabled cricket team, with their sole focus being to conquer the World Series and making their mentor Wadekar proud up there in the skies.