BCCI send INR 1 Crore with immediate effect to help Anshuman Gaekwad battle cancer

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently stepped forward to support one of its former players. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has instructed the immediate release of INR one crore to provide financial assistance to veteran cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, who is currently battling blood cancer. This gesture comes as a ray of hope for the 71-year-old, who has been silently fighting his illness for the past year.

Gaekwad's condition came to light when former cricketer Sandeep Patil, in his column for Mid-Day, revealed that he had met Gaekwad at King's College Hospital in London. This disclosure sparked discussions about the cricket board's responsibility towards its former players, especially those facing health crises. Earlier, former India cricketer Sandeep Patil had also requested the BCCI to finance Gaekwad's medical aid.

The 1983 World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev, had also decided to donate his pension to help with Gaekwad's treatment. Dev emphasized the importance of having a proper system in place to help former players, pointing out that while current players are well-compensated, it wasn't the case for earlier generations.

According to Gaurav Gupta from The Times of India, Shah personally reached out to Gaekwad's family to assess the situation and offer assistance. Gaekwad's cricketing journey is one of notable achievements. Former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar had earlier spoken to BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar, who had promised to look into the matter.

Also read: Kapil Dev ready to donate pension, invites BCCI to help Anshuman Gaekwad fight cancer

With a career spanning 40 Test matches and a World Cup appearance, Gaekwad scored 1,959 runs at an impressive average of 32.08, including the highest score of 201. The former cricketer also served as the head coach of the Indian cricket team from 2000 to 2001 and also coached the Kenyan cricket team during the 1999 World Cup.