Indian blind cricketers left jobless by COVID-19; plead with BCCI to help them

The novel coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc for the Indian blind cricket team members. The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) is now pinning its hopes on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to help them tide through these torrid times, especially with the Indian blind cricket team members being rendered jobless.

CABI, registered in 2011 as a non-profit organisation, is the apex body conducting cricket for the blind across India. However, it is not recognised by the BCCI.

Without BCCI's support, the major source of revenue for the Blind cricket team has been sponsors but in the wake of a global pandemic, the sponsors have been hard to come by.

The Indian blind team was supposed to play a home-series with South Africa in the month of March-April, comprising 40-over ODI matches and T20 games, but it was called off due to COVID-19.

"We had to call it off because of the coronavirus situation. The tour was scheduled for March 18-April 4. We suffered Rs 10 lakh loss," said Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, founder of CABI and president of World Blind Cricket Ltd.

Bringing attention to Indian blind cricket team's plight, Mahantesh mentioned that some of the cricketers were working in small companies to make their ends meet.

"Physically and financially they (blind cricketers) are affected. Some of them were working in small companies and all...they have lost their jobs. Some of the Indian squad members have lost their jobs, let's say 5-6 members of the squad," added Mahantesh.

Indian blind cricket team has won four World Cups

The Indian blind cricket team has won a total of four Blind cricket World Cups -- (2012 and 2017 T20 World Cups) and (2014 and 2018 ODI World Cups). Besides, there is a national tournament held across India in a Ranji Trophy model with 24 states participating.

When a full season of cricket is held, the blind cricketers roughly earn 2,00,000₹. However, the spread of the deadly virus has meant that these cricketers have had to make do without this money.