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Eye Test to be Mandatory For Bengal Cricketers Post Coronavirus Lockdown

Bengal head coach Arun Lal came up with the suggestion as eyesight is prone to be affected once cricketers return from long layoffs.

Eden Gardens stadium

Eden Gardens (© IANS)

Once camps get underway, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will be conducting mandatory eye tests for its U-23 and senior teams after the coronavirus lockdown.

This was among several decisions taken during a meeting between CAB administration and Bengal coaching unit.

Bengal head coach Arun Lal came up with the suggestion as eyesight is prone to be affected once cricketers return from long layoffs.

“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,” CAB president Avishek Dalmiya told PTI.

Bengal team cricket operations manager Joydeep Mukherjee said that eyesight can get affected without the knowledge of an individual and they may make testing mandatory for U-19 cricketers as well.

“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,” Mukherjee said.

Former India international Deep Dasgupta backed the decision saying “cricket is also a game of hand-eye co-ordination”.

“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,” the former Bengal captain said.

Dalmiya further said that the association is waiting for the BCCI guidelines.

“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,” Dalmiya said.

“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.”

Bengal selectors will announce 30 probables before the CAB gives a go-ahead for the camp.

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