Lucknow lad Somjeet Singh’s life hasn’t been easy. From battling a spine tumour to becoming the captain of the Indian Wheelchair Cricket team that recently won the T20 series against Bangladesh in Kolkata 3-0, Singh has handled it all with a smile and strong willpower.
In a candid chat with CNN-News18, Singh, who led the team of 15, urged people, especially those with disability, to fight the hurdles head-on. “It is just the beginning. Shape your life the way you want. Take a step ahead and give it a shot,” said Singh.
The selection is based on the performance in the national tournament held earlier this year as well as the camp organized by the Wheelchair Cricket Association of India under the aegis of Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI).
The DCCI is now recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
WHY CRICKET?
Singh started the conversation with his disability. “I was never a normal child. I was born with a tumour in my spine. Although the doctors managed to operate on it successfully, after the surgery, the lower portion of my body got paralysed,” said Singh, who resides at Lucknow’s Vrindavan Colony.
Singh said his parents — his father, a state government employee, and mother — were the driving force behind his success. “I still remember the time when I used to approach children playing in the park and they used to turn me down insensitively. I used to spend hours, sitting at the park, seeing others play. It was then that I decided that I will play the game where I can fit in,” he said.
Describing how the WCI helped him not just improve his game, but also overcome social anxiety and build self-confidence, he said, “I used to suffer from social anxiety because I thought people always underestimate wheelchair-users. Cricket helped me get rid of those inhibitions and become a different person.”
HOW IS WHEELCHAIR CRICKET DIFFERENT?
“In wheelchair cricket, players need wheelchairs according to their height and built, to facilitate maneuverability. The game requires immense dedication and players need to work on building their upper body strength through a series of exercises and therapy. For example, when players run between the creases, they need to leave behind the bat as they use both hands to power the wheelchair and complete a run,” pointed out Singh.
He added that the leather balls used for wheelchair cricket are lighter than regular cricket. Another difference is the distance from the boundary is comparatively less.
Singh rued that while it was his mother’s dream to see him become a wheelchair cricketer, she is not around to see his success. “In 2021, I lost my mother to the pandemic,” he said.
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