'Every game has its challenges'

In 2012, excited to play a new sport, Chandan Ray plunged into leg cricket — a form of cricket played with a football-sized ball. “A number of new games were demonstrated at an event in our school.

We had to form a team to take part in the first national leg cricket championship. That is how I came to know of the sport. Though I could not take part in the first nationals because of fitness issues, I made it to the second edition that was organised in Ambala in 2013,” recollects Bargarh (Odisha) born Ray.

Played between two teams, each with 11 players, leg cricket involves using legs (legging) instead of batting like in cricket while the other side fields. The bowler rolls down the football-sized ball using under-arm bowling and the legsman needs to hit the ball to score single, double, triple runs by running across the pitch or score a four or a six by kicking the ball out of the boundary line.

“A legsman is declared out if he or she touches the ball twice or kicks with the wrong leg, gets caught or run out or hit wicket as in cricket. The team, which scores more, is declared the winner,” informs the 17-year-old.

From winning several school level championships to becoming the Under-19 captain of Team India in leg cricket, Ray has traversed a long path. “I wanted to concentrate on something which was different and challenging at the same time. And leg cricket is one such action-filled sport that is affordable as well,” Ray, a former state-level badminton player tells Metrolife.

As he gave stellar performances on the field, he was named as the captain for the first Indo-Nepal Leg Cricket Series held at Kathmandu in 2013, which the team subsequently won.

Ever since the victory, he has been part of championships in the sport hosted by Leg Cricket Federation of India and School Sports and Cultural Activities Federation. “If it wasn’t for the support that I received from Jogendra Prasad Verma sir (founder general secretary of Indian Leg Cricket Association), and Odisha State Association officials it wouldn’t have been possible to even stand where I am today. Also, they came forward and build up a State Association in Odisha in the month of April for the sport,” mentions Ray.

The sport is played only in the sub continent (Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka apart from India) as of now. However, he agrees that it is yet to find its footing compared to cricket. “Comparison with cricket is inevitable. So there are no complaints.

However in Maharashtra, it is already recognised by their sports department and we hope this will happen in Odisha as well. The sport needs encouragement by various sports bodies in the state such as the Odisha Olympics Association and at the national level such as the Indian Olympic Association,” says Ray, who will soon be awarded Khel Gaurav Award from the Side Leg Cricket Federation of India, Indian Rural Olympic and School Sports and Cultural activities Federation of India.

He adds, “Every game has its challenges. But what is positive is that a lot of youngsters seem to be interested in the game. But it’s a long way before we see any result.”
As part of the ongoing second Indo-Nepal Series at Pokhara, Nepal, Ray is representing India as the vice captain.

“I’m selected in Team India but I have no sponsors or facilities. What I need is support, and I am sure that I’ll perform better in the upcoming matches and make India proud,” says Ray.