Cricket Association of Bengal to conduct mandatory eye tests for senior, u-23 teams
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has decided to conduct compulsory eye tests for players of the senior team, as well as the under-23 team, after cricket resumes post the COVID-19 lockdown.
A discussion that included head coach Arun Lal and the CAB administration was held by the Bengal coaching staff. Conducting mandatory eye tests to look into certain eyesight issues post a long layoff from competitive cricket was deemed extremely necessary.
Avishek Dalmiya informed PTI:
"Eyesight and reflex are two important elements in cricket that's why (head coach) Arun Lal suggested that the test should be made mandatory. So we can address the eyesight issues if any."
"We are just waiting for the BCCI guidelines on the matter. We have frame our own guidelines. Safety of the players is paramount to us. We don't want to take any chances."
"Every aspect and segment of our preparedness to slowly return to the game was discussed in great details. Performances of previous season was also reviewed."
The team's cricket operations manager Joydeep Mukherjee also reiterated Dalmiya's stance of making sure any eyesight issues are thoroughly checked before the resumption of professional cricket in the state.
He told PTI:
"We have seen before that suddenly a player is dropping catches, seeing the ball a bit late. The eyesight can get affected without your knowledge that makes a huge difference in your cricket. So we will make it mandatory for senior and U-23 teams and we may get this for U-19 cricketers too."
Former India cricketer welcomes CAB decision
Former India wicket-keeper and Bengal captain Deep Dasgupta also acknowledged the fact that cricket is game of hand-eye coordination. Therefore, any eyesight issues could put a cricketer's life in jeopardy.
Dasgupta told PTI:
"When you are coming back on field, you would like to just check the eyesight. Nothing wrong in it. Often it's not a 20/20 vision, it could well be 19/20 without your knowledge."
"There could be a case of depth perception in case of cylindrical power. You could have difficulty in gauging the colour of the ball or have depth perception."