*Legends like Kapil, Gavaskar pledge support
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, May 6: As many as 1750 former cricketers are registered with the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA), India’s first-ever players’ association which came into being last year. 20 members from J&K are also already registered with ICA and doors are open for other eligible members. The Association is committed to financially help needy former Ranji Trophy players, who don’t have jobs, who don’t get pension from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or their respective state associations.
This was stated by Vinod Sharma (Khajuria), former First-Class Cricketer and JKCA’s representative on Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) in an exclusive chat with EXCELSIOR.
He said the cricketing greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have pledged their support to Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) initiative to financially help around 30 needy players amid the nationwide lockdown.
“We have also recommended a few names of deserving former Ranji Trophy players from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, who are in dire need of help. Some ICA members and cricket enthusiasts from J&K have already contributed towards this cause and others are also in the fray. Every ICA member or even other people from cricketing fraternity should come forward to contribute for this noble cause,” Mr Sharma said.
He appealed all cricket lovers including ICA members, non members and people from corporate houses to contribute to Indian Cricketers Association’s welfare fund.
“The people interested to contribute can deposit the money in Account No: 034601000021853″ of Indian Cricketers Association (Welfare Fund), Indian Overseas Bank, Jayanagar, 5th Block, Bangalore,” Sharma informed.
He, however said, that contributing Rs 1,000 was mandatory and rest was the donors choice.
Mr Sharma, who was the JKCA Ranji Trophy selector last season said, on the one hand, the contributors will lend a helping hand to the needy cricketers, while on the other hand, they will also be benefitted in one or the other way by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), adding that each of the member, who donates money for this noble cause, will certainly be preferred by the Association for cricketing assignments.
“Jammu and Kashmir cricket is on the path of progression as the Ranji Trophy team qualified for the historic quarterfinals last season and lost to formidable Karnataka in the last four stage. Moreover, apart from young Abdul Samad’s IPL selection, JKCA has the honour of producing as many as six cricketers for the IPL auction. We have a galaxy of talented youngsters in J&K and I hope better show by them in the future as they possess all that is required to put J&K on the country’s cricketing map,” maintained Mr Sharma.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ICA has so far raised Rs 39 lakh to help former cricketers who are in dire need of funds.
It has been learnt that likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Gambhir have also made financial contributions to the cause. Mohammad Azharuddin had pledged his financial support earlier.
“ICA will continue to accept donations till May 15, following which it will shortlist 5-6 cricketers from each zone (north, east, west, south and central). It has contributed Rs 10 lakh to the initiative, while it had received an initial grant of Rs 2 crore from the BCCI in February to kick-start its operations”.
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