Unsung Heroes: How India’s former blind cricket team captain Shekar Naik hit the odds out of the boundary

However, the story goes back to his small locality in Harakere, in the heart of Shivamogga town. Born into an economically weak and underprivileged family where blindness was a cruel hereditary, Naik’s early life was marked by immense social and economic challenges. Naik lost his vision completely at a tender age. His grandmother had suffered from the same condition, and as fate would have it, Naik inherited this struggle. While his friends would play games, spend time in nature, and see the fun unfolding before them, Naik on the other hand was blinded by darkness.

In 2001, Naik’s talent was undeniable, and he was selected to play for the Karnataka team in the South Zone tournament.

For eight long years, the world was a dark, unforgiving place for young Naik. One day, as a child, Naik accidentally fell into a canal. This misfortune, oddly enough, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The very next day, a free eye check-up camp arrived in his village, offering him a glimmer of hope. It was at this camp that Naik’s journey to Bengaluru began, where he underwent surgery that partially restored his sight. Although not fully cured, this moment marked a turning point in his life.

At the age of 10, little Naik enrolled in Shri Sharadha Devi Blind School in Shivamogga. Here, he discovered a deep passion for sports, particularly cricket. Yet, the journey was far from easy. In 1997, when he began shaping his cricket career, his community and even his family were skeptical. His father, protective and fearful for his son’s safety, was hesitant to support his ambitions.

“In fact it was my mother who motivated me to pursue cricket seriously. All she said was that I have to become a great cricket player and even greater than those who are able cricketers. While I developed love for the game, it was her words that echoed loudly in my mind and strengthened my resolve,” said Naik.

In 1998, Naik was selected for a state-level tournament, a momentous occasion for any young athlete. However, following the tragic deaths of his parents, Naik found himself living in a hostel in Shivamogga and later in Mysore for a decade. It was during these years that his commitment to cricket solidified. In 2001, Naik’s talent was undeniable, and he was selected to play for the Karnataka team in the South Zone tournament. His performance was nothing short of spectacular, scoring 249 runs, which opened new doors for his cricketing career. A year later, in 2002, Naik’s hard work paid off when he was selected for the Indian blind cricket team.

In 1997, when he began shaping his cricket career, his community and even his family were skeptical.

“While playing for the South Zone in Chennai, the national selectors were also present in the stadium. My trainer simply guided me to hit the ball where the selectors are actually seated. He used to cheer for me in encrypted phrases which would indicate the place where selectors were seated and I used to smash the ball in that direction. Impressed by my performance I was selected for the national team,” he said.

His debut at the World Cup was a dream come true, earning him two Man of the Match awards against formidable teams like Australia and Sri Lanka. Shekar’s cricketing journey saw many highs. In 2004, during India’s first international tour to Pakistan, Naik scored an impressive 198 runs in a match held at Sheikhupura. His outstanding performance also earned him the Man of the Series award.

In 2006, during the World Cup in Islamabad, Naik was awarded the titles of Best Batsman, Man of the Series, and three Man of the Match awards. His stardom continued to rise, and in 2010, he was appointed as the captain of the Indian blind cricket team. Under his leadership, the team triumphed in all their matches, solidifying Naik’s place as a cricketing legend. In 2012, the first-ever Blind T20 World Cup was organised by Samarthanam in association with the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI).

In 2006, during the World Cup in Islamabad, Naik was awarded the titles of Best Batsman, Man of the Series, and three Man of the Match awards.

The event witnessed the participation of nine countries. India’s victory in the tournament was a crowning achievement in Naik’s career. April 2014 marked another milestone when Australia visited India for a bilateral series. Naik’s magnificent 132 runs off just 62 balls led India to victory, securing the T20 cup under his captaincy. The same year, India won the fourth edition of the One Day International Blind Cricket World Cup, with Naik leading the team. His match-winning performances included scoring 77 runs and taking four wickets against Australia, and 147 runs and four wickets in the semifinals against Sri Lanka.

“In fact I was very disturbed by the 2006 World Cup loss and I desperately wanted to take over the leadership role and steer the team towards victory. Since a lot of teammates were from different linguistic backgrounds, I learnt over 10 languages over the course of four years from 2006-2010.

Since a lot of teammates were from different linguistic backgrounds, he learnt over 10 languages over the course of four years from 2006-2010.

Following my appointment as captain, I conversed with my teammates in their mother tongue and spoke to them about their strengths. I only told them to pin hopes on their strengths and execute them in the field. And that resulted in back to back World Cup victories in 2012 and 2014,” said Naik, who along with his wife Roopa, also practises Bharatanatyam.

In recognition to his cricketing accomplishments, Naik was conferred Padma Shri in 2017 but his life was fraught with challenges off the field. In 2015, after leading India to victories in both ODI and T20 series in England, he struggled to find employment. “The Padma Shri can’t feed me, right?” he remarked candidly, reflecting the harsh reality of life after cricket.

It was then that he found a new home at IIM Bangalore, joining as a Program Administrator in 2021. His passion now extends to nurturing young talent through the Shekar Naik Foundation, where he trains visually impaired cricketers, aiming to impact at least 100 athletes each year.

So far he has held 11 training camps with the financial backing of the Assist Tech Foundation. He also sponsors cricket kits such as gloves, shoes, socks, track pants, and other equipment to the trainees who cannot afford them. “My aim is to train visually impaired youngsters and bring them into mainstream sports. My principle has been very simple- I didn’t take disadvantage of my disability, instead I converted it to my ability. This has brought me thus far and I would love to encourage the youngsters with the same principle,” said Naik.