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'The growth of blind cricket adds to the opportunity that exists for them to able to showcase what they are doing and it is up to the cricketers and people to recognise the great work being done'
Former India Captain Rahul Dravid said even if the norms are twisted to make way for him to play cricket blindfolded, he is not good enough to match the "incredible" qualities of blind cricketers.
"I am not good enough playing blind cricket. It is rather difficult proposition because I have never played the game as they play. They have exceptional qualities," he told reporters after being named brand ambassador for the Second T20 World Cup For Blind and the release of world cup fixtures in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The tournament will be played from January 28 to February 12, with the tournament inaugural hosted in New Delhi and the Grand Finale in Bengaluru. Ten Countries – India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies will be participating in the World Cup.
The tournament will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis in multiple cities across India. Dravid appreciated the growth of blind cricket in the last four years.
"Blind cricket, to begin with, was small, not huge. May be it was lack of awareness and opportunity, but over the last three to four years even the blind cricket has grown a lot and is going in right direction," he said.
The growth of blind cricket has created a chance for organizers to showcase their endeavors in this regard and it is up to the people and cricketers to recognize them, Dravid said.
"The growth of blind cricket adds to the opportunity that exists for them to able to showcase what they are doing and it is up to the cricketers and people to recognize the great work being done," he said.
Replying to a query, Dravid said people like G K Mahantesh, Senior Vice President of World Blind Cricket Limited, are real mentors for blind cricketers, than him.
"I think I might need some mentoring from them. What they do is a lot of tougher than what I did. People like Mahantesh are their mentors. What I can do is just create awareness," he said.
Image: Former cricketer & India A team coach Rahul Dravid speaks during an event naming him Brand Ambassador for the 2nd T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind 2017, in Bengaluru on Wednesday
Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI