CHENNAI: "I had got out bowled out by Wasim (Akram), not having judged the trajectory of the ball... I decided to get my eyes checked... The test confirmed my fears. I had astigmatism, which is a problem with how eye focusses light... I would have to use contact lenses as a corrective measure,” wrote VVS Laxman in 281 And Beyond, co-authored by R Kaushik.
Cricketers unable to sight the ball properly is a less talked about problem. But many face it. It isn’t always evident because those suffering use lenses. Laxman was less fortunate.
“I tried several lenses but didn’t feel comfortable in them. There would be a burning sensation. A doctor in Australia (during the tour of 1999-2000) suggested I should use glasses or play without a lens because there was nothing suitable for me. For the rest of my career, my vision was never 100 per cent in overcast conditions and when the ball became oldish. For fielding, I used a special shade and made do without anything when batting,” Laxman told The New Indian Express.
This uncommon ailment becomes relevant following the Cricket Association of Bengal’s (CAB) recent announcement that vision test will be mandatory for its senior team. The team management felt some of the players showed symptoms of viewing problems last season, after seeing them misjudge the line of the ball while batting and catching. The association headed by Avishek Dalmiya plans to have this test for the U-23 and U-19 teams as well.
Most state associations don’t conduct eye tests. There is no record of this, but former wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit is believed to have introduced the concept in India, in the sense that he came up with this idea about 10 years ago, when he was heading the academy run by Mumbai Cricket Association. In a long career as a coach, Pandit has got such tests done on players of the teams he has worked with, like Mumbai, Maharashtra, Kerala and Vidarbha.
“Players tend to overlook this. But if someone has a problem, early detection and treatment can stop it from becoming damaging. Mostly, you can tell from the way someone is reacting to the flight of the ball while batting or fielding. I won’t take names, but I’ve seen players overcome this after consulting a specialist. And once you know someone has this problem, it becomes easier for the coach, physio and trainer to work with him,” said Pandit.
In most cases, glasses or lenses are prescribed and Pandit has seen players benefit from these. “When I was coach of Vidarbha, I saw a player having difficulties locating the ball while taking catches. We figured this wasn’t happening because of the background and asked him to undergo a test. Our hunch was right. A problem was detected and this player got better after doing what the doctor said. I’m glad that the CAB has made it mandatory. This move can only help the players and the team,” added the former international.
Laxman thinks this is more pertinent these days, taking into account the growing dependence on mobile phones. “It’s more relevant nowadays because youngsters are usually glued to the phone. It may affect your sight if you spend long hours on this. Eyes are a cricketer’s biggest asset. If you notice, good players have excellent eyesight, which helps them pick the length early. So this is an area to pay attention to.”
As far as the Indian team is concerned, there is no eye testing for the players. Some of them go through this process at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, when they attend camps. The team management goes by the assumption that when players have come up to the international level, they must be alright on this count. However, the BCCI does conduct vision tests for those appearing in examinations to become umpires.