They never ask for the sightscreen to be shifted
They can only hear the ball, the strokes and the excited shrieks and shouts of their teammates
The lighting in a day-night game means little to them because the umpire is the only one who sees the game
—Cricket Association for the Blind in India
Ever since the Indian blind cricket team returned from South Africa with the much-cherished World Cup trophy, they've barely caught their breath. It's a far cry from the way things were earlier when nobody knew such a team existed. But on Wednesday, three Union ministers, including sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal, received the victorious team at the airport in New Delhi. Even prime minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley congratulated them.
"I didn't expect this kind of a reaction," says Shekar Naik, the captain. "The recognition we received made us realise our achievement," he adds even as the others sing and shout in the background. It's been two days, and the victory has just sunk in.
Last Sunday, the team defeated Pakistan in a thrilling final in Cape Town to bring home the Blind Cricket World Cup for the first time. It was the fourth edition of the tournament. And just like MS Dhoni and his boys celebrated their historic triumph in 2011, Naik & Co. did a lap of honour after the winning boundary was hit. They wanted to run as much, and as far as they could. The overflow of emotions took over the lack of sight.
"We felt we were on top of the world. Every player shed tears of happiness. We couldn't hold it back. We all cried together, we all celebrated together, we all felt proud together. We never thought we would win a World Cup like this in South Africa. And beating Pakistan made it all the more special," says the 28-year-old from Shimoga, Karnataka.
Smells like team spirit
This team — they also won the T20 World Cup held in India in 2012 — is that it thrives on unity and mutual respect. "State teams are always united largely because they speak the same language. But our team has players from 10 different states, including Gujarat, Punjab, Maharastra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We make it a point to learn each other's language, however difficult it is. So a player who comes from the north, even if he is new, has to teach us Hindi and Punjabi. That way, we get closer," Naik says. So what if they can't see each other.
John David, who has managed this team for nearly five years, says looking after the players can be a challenge, but their teamwork makes things easier for him. "The disability can be a problem sometimes, but the guys are very capable," he says. There are shortcomings everywhere. Even able-bodied cricketers have shortcomings. But that is where teamwork comes in. These boys look out for each other all the time."
Point to prove
It's not all hunky-dory, though. There are times when some players think of quitting the game to find greener pastures. The lack of rewards and recognition can dampen even the eternal optimist. It's purely the high of playing for the country that drives these men. "If I just sat at home and did nothing in life, the entire world would have looked down upon me," says Naik, who first played for India in 200. "So my motive was that the entire world should look at people like me and realise that I am one among them. I wanted to prove a point. Had I quit, what message would that send to youngsters who wanted to become like me? "Visually impaired cricketers don't just play for money, jobs, fame or happiness. We play to gain confidence; we play to prove that a blind man can do anything. Playing cricket gives us that extra motivation and energy," Naik adds.
The outside world might make them feel lesser than the others, but the great thing about sport is that it treats everyone equally.
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