PLAYER WELFARE

Yuvraj throws weight behind a strong players' association

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Yuvraj highlighted the importance for player welfare citing Glenn Maxwell's example © Getty

Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has thrown his weight behind the need to institute a players' association to protect the interests of the cricketers. Citing the example of Glenn Maxwell, who recently went on a cricketing sabbatical owing to mental health reasons, Yuvraj said Indian cricketers, too, needed a committee to listen to their personal grievances and help fight professional insecurities.

"We see outside India if the players are fatigued and tired mentally, like is the case with Maxwell, he has taken a break because he is feeling it. Our players can't do that because they fear they may lose their place," Yuvraj was quoted as saying by PTI. "What I would like to see is a players' association coming up because I think the player's voice was never heard before. So I think a players' association that all other countries have, we should also have."

Yuvraj opined such a body could help ease pressure on the Indian players, who he believes are overworked. "We deserve it [players' association] because there are a lot of times we have been asked to play cricket that we don't want to. We have to play with the pressure that if we don't play we will be thrown out," Yuvraj said.

"That pressure has to go off the players that even if they are tired or fatigued or carrying injuries, they have to play. That support should be given to the players. The current players need more [support]. Somebody has to stand up and give them the players association. I don't know who's going to do that, but definitely that's something I would like to see happening for the players. Every voice should be heard in players' association, not only captain or vice-captain or senior players'. Every player should be asked about their opinions."

Incidentally, the Lodha Committee Recommendations prescribed the need to establish the ICA - Indian Cricketers' Association - two members (one male and one female) of which would also have to be part of BCCI's apex council. This association, the recommendations specified, will address welfare concerns of both current and former India cricketers but will not act as a trade union. In July 2019, BCCI even approved a three-member ICA naming Kapil Dev, Shanta Rangaswamy and Ajit Agarakar as initial directors.

Yuvraj also believes that under Sourav Ganguly, a former player himself, India's cricketers will have greater freedom in voicing their opinion. "Cricket from the administration point of view and cricketer's point of view are two different things. Someone who has been a very successful captain will run cricket from a player's point of view where cricketers' concerns can be heard. It didn't happen earlier. They [previous administrators] would make decisions and cricketers were not heard. Now he will listen to what cricketers want."

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