Meet the new Pataudis and Chandrasekhars of cricket

Remember Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and his exploits on the cricket field? A total of 2,793 runs from 46 Tests might not sound monstrous in this day and age, but the former Indian captain played most of his international cricket with a permanently damaged right eye since 1961. And then there was the legendary B S Chandrasekhar, whose polio-afflicted right arm wove magical leg spin. The two played much of their cricket together, but since their retirement four-and-a-half decades ago we have hardly seen differently-abled players at the top. medium nocaption74382875Though the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is no international cricket, but this T20 tournament, conducted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, often serves as a stepping stone for players hoping to play the Indian Premier League. And come the 2020 season, G Periyaswamy and M Suganesh — braving their disabilities — will display their skills for Salem Spartans in the highly competitive league. medium nocaption74382951Periyaswamy, who lacks vision in his right eye, was also part of the Chepauk Super Gillies last year. A pace bowler with a slinging action, à la Lasith Malinga, he had become quite a trump card for the team by the end of last season. He took 21 wickets from 9 outings and his figures of 5 for 15 in the final against Dindigul Dragons helped Chepauk lift its second TNPL crown.Born with a defective right eye, Periyaswamy remembers the taunts about his disability as most assumed that he would not be able to carve a niche for himself in the sport. “It was obviously difficult, but Tamil Nadu paceman T Natarajan, who is from my district, kept telling me to concentrate on my cricket and nothing else. If not for his and a couple of others’ guidance, I could have drifted away,” said Periyaswamy, whose father is a tea stall owner at Chinnappampatti, a village in west Salem. medium74383827While Periyaswamy has made a name for himself, M Suganesh is waiting to make a mark this time with able-bodied athletes. Since a bike accident eight years ago, the left hand of the 30-year-old from Kancheepuram district isn’t fully functional. “I never treat this as a disability. It is important to have the right attitude to excel in any field,” said Suganesh, who played for India in the inaugural Physical Disability World Series last August. His blistering knock of 33 had helped India beat hosts England by 36 runs in the final. “I was 22 and playing in the lower division cricket when the accident happened. I was out for a few months, but I never lost my love for cricket,” Suganesh, son of an autorickshaw driver, said. Despite financial issues, his family gave Suganesh the freedom to pursue his passion. Suganesh caught the attention of many when he played for India in the Disability World Series and the TNPL call-up was a recognition of that. medium74384036“Despite being the only player from our state to have featured in that tournament, not many people knew me. But I am hopeful that the situation will change when I play in the TNPL,” said Suganesh, who is a powerful striker and also bowls medium-pace. Salem team coach S Suresh feels Suganesh has potential. “He has been doing well in our TNCA lower-division circuit and has a lot of experience in this format,” said Suresh.Both Periyaswamy and Suganesh concede that they seek empathy and not sympathy. “I play for the Triplicane CC in the TNCA’s third division league and they treat me as an equal. We would like to be judged by our performances on the field,” said Suganesh.Franchises at TNPL are clear these players were picked based on what they bring to the team. Periyaswamy felt the comfortable atmosphere in Chepauk’s dressing room spurred him to give his best last season. “Be it the support staff or the players, everyone made me feel comfortable. They would constantly motivate me to give my best and that’s all I could have asked for,” said Periyaswamy who will be plying his trade for Salem this season.TNCA is hopeful the stories of Periyaswamy and Suganesh will open avenues for other differently-abled athletes. “TNPL is a platform that offers players hope. If a player is good enough, he will definitely be spotted and given an opportunity in this league,” said R S Ramaswamy, TNCA secretary. medium nocaption74382992 medium nocaption74383043