Hughes' death is a talking point on Delhi's pitches

Following Phil Hughes' death, TOI went to the pitch to see how seriously safety rules are taken in school and college cricket. Though scare tactics and aggro are essential, young players assert that no one who's serious about cricket would ignore safety rules or risk injury.
Now, David, are you going to get out or am I going to have to come round the wicket and kill you?" When West Indian fast bowler Malcolm Marshall famously said these words to Australian batsman David Boon, he would have certainly not meant it.
Years later, seamer Sean Abbott seems inconsolable for ending up doing exactly that.Though the ball delivered by Abbott could have swung anywhere, on that fateful day, it was destined to hit Phillip Hughes and eventually claim his life.
His death stunned the cricketing world and sparked frenzied debate on how to make helmets even safer and whether or not bouncers should be banned.
While those angles are examined to the minutest detail at the international level, how safely is the game played in the country where it enjoys its God-like status? From gully and society cricket to the school and college tournament, the passion and aggression remain the same, while rule enforcers lack the hawk-eyed observation of professional cricket and when the safety gear available is far from what the pros where.
What happens when the batsman's teenaged swagger convinces him that 'helmets are for wimps', or when a spin bowler decides to teach that swag a 'lesson'? We see how safely the gentlemen's game is played at the school and college level in Delhi.
IT WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT, DON'T BLAME THE HELMET
Naveen Chopra, who has trained the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Unmukt Chand at Modern School, Barakhamba, says that though Hughes' death is very unfortunate, cricket as a game is not that life-threatening. "Phil was wearing the best helmet in the world. Uski kismat kharab thi. Today's kids are aware of the gravity of injuries.They take all precautions." He adds, "You know, earlier, during accidents, heads of two-wheeler riders would get stuck inside their helmets. The new-age helmets are flexible and can be easily taken out even they are severely crushed." "This is what technology has done. The helmets bear all the brunt and keep the wearer safe."
His student Nadeem Siddique, 22, who has captained Hindu College's cricket team, shows us his helmet as he says, "I got hit on the head two weeks ago. There is still a dent on my helmet. When a ball coming at a speed of 120-130 kmhour hits you, there's obviously some impact. Even if the helmet breaks, the layers inside save your head. The ball struck Phil below his ears. Agar helmet pe lagti toh kuch nahi hota usey. Products of all kinds are available in the market. While one helmet will get away with a dent, another might crack. But unless it's a fake product, it will save your head."
BOUNCERS ARE TO SCARE THE BATSMAN
Daksh Varshney , a budding medium pacer, believes that it is his "dharma" to scare the batsman with a bouncer. "It is psychological warfare. If the batsman is not wearing a helmet, it can mean he's not scared of you. So, first, you go up to the umpire and tell him to ask the batsman to put on a helmet. If the batsman refuses, it's your turn to intimidate him. We try to break his confidence. We do it for the team's sake. Hamari koi dushmani nahi hai batsman se." His friends around him nod in agreement.While one among them says that sledging is like a spinner's bouncer, someone else offers, "Agar bowler mein aggression nahi hoga toh batsman chadh jayega, and vice versa." batsman chadh jayega, and vice versa."
I SIMPLY LEND MY SAFETY GEAR TO THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT
Abhishek Kapoor, a St Stephen's alumnus, was hit almost at the same place as Hughes a few weeks ago, but luckily got away with minor swelling. He increased the protection beneath his helmet. In Class IX, he was hit on the chest, and the next time he came to bat, his parents made sure he wore a chest guard."The thought of giving up because of injuries never occurred to me. I have a lot of cricketing gear at home. So, when I see someone who probably cannot afford costly gear, I simply lend them mine. The show must go on." Nitin Verma, who is in his final year at Sri Venkateswara College and is a fast bowler, reminisces the day his delivery got a boy a few stitches on his head. "He was back after a few days, and there are some who never come back. They all have their reasons," he says.
MAANA DELHI KE PAANI MEIN AGGRESSION HAI, PAR YAHAN SAB TAMEEZ SE KHELTE HAIN
The funda for these players is simple this is club cricket, not gully cricket. Tarak Sinha, who spent four-and-a-half decades teaching cricket, recalls the death of his student Raman Lamba after being hit on the temple while fielding at forward short leg, and says, "When the news of Phil came, quite naturally, I thought of Raman. Par uss din galti Raman ki thi. But it's an occupational hazard. Even a spectator can get hit and fall on the ground.But wearing complete gear is a basic rule. You simply must follow it." Devender Sharma, a former Ranji player, sums it up, "Maana Delhi ke paani mein aggression hai. Par itna neckto-neck competition club cricket mein hai kahan ki ladai ho? Yahan sab tameez se khelte hain. Everybody wants to be a Sehwag or a Gambhir someday . They don't take unnecessary steps that will get them a ban."
WHY BE A DAREDEVIL WHEN THE COACH SAYS, WEAR A HELMET?
All coaches tell their students to play the game to enjoy it and build their career, and not destroy someone else's. Likewise, the sport's students reiterate the same. "Main ek din bat nahi uthaunga toh mujhe neend nahi ayegi. That's the kind of attachment we have with the game. That's why you see how players try to stay connected with the game even long after their retirement," says Daksh Vads, a budding cricketer who suffered a ligament injury recently. "Jinko kuch nahi banna aur sirf masti se khelna hai, woh follow nahi karte rules. Aapko game ki respect karni chahiye. Aur agar coach sir bol rahe hain ki helmet pehan ke khelo, toh daredevil kyun banna?" asks Gautam Arora, pointing at a few amateurs practicing at the nets without wearing helmets.
GIRLS NO LONGER FEAR INJURIES
Women cricketers may not get same attention, but their chances of suffering a fatal injury are the same as their male counterparts'. Lalita Sharma, a former student of Shyama Prasad Mukherji College, had to undergo surgery for a broken nose a few months ago. When we met her, she was all padded up, gearing up to send bowlers out of the park. "Cricket is risky. Ladkiyon mein bhi gaali-galoch hoti hai, fighting spirit hoti hai. But that's all part of the game," she says. Her coach and Dronacharya Awardee, Sunita Sharma, adds, "The parents of my girls come and watch their games with enthusiasm. The mentality of girls' life being ruined after an injury no longer exists. Every year, there are more girls who enroll themselves to learn the game." On the question of safety, she says, "We can still allow senior players to face spinners without a helmet, but with juniors, we don't entertain it."
Similarly, the parents of Anirudh, a Class X student of Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute, Dhaula Kuan, and who has been training for two years, and Raghav Ramakrishnan, an 8-yearold student of Mount St Mary School, Parade Road, who came to enroll himself for coaching, know that the test of fire makes fine steel. "India lives on cricket. I want my son to become a cricketer. So, tomorrow, even if he comes with an injury, it won't scare me. Phil's case was a freak one, and that won't be a reason for me to stop my son for," says Gayatri, Ragahv's mother.