India’s Venkateshwara Rao gives up his salary to play the World Cup

Venkateshwara Rao took over the role of the captain of the India blind cricket team since skipper Ajay Reddy was rested for the match against South Africa played at the Bandra Kurla Complex Ground in Mumbai. Roa has to battle is fighting a bigger battle than the one that appears on the cricket field. He might be representing the national team at the moment but has a day job that helps him run his house.

But life has been tough since Rao hasn’t yet received his salary for the month of January and wasn’t permitted a leave for playing the tournament and will lose his pay for the ongoing month as well.  The 26-year-old is a B-2 category player who has partial blindness is employed as a physical education teacher at Zilla Parishad High School, Devunalthada in Andhra Pradesh which earns him a monthly salary of rupees 6000.

He requested the school authorities to grant him a leave since he was to represent the country in the ongoing Blind cricket World Cup but the principal didn’t approve of it. The prospect of losing his salary didn’t deter Rao’s determination and dedication to represent India. “I requested the school’s Head Master to grant me leave as I am representing my country in the World Cup, but he did not approve it. I have also not received my salary for January,” he was quoted by mid-day as saying.

He is a naturally aggressive batsman but Rao said with such conditions prevailing it runs on the back of the mind all the time and makes it difficult for the player to play his natural game. But that didn’t prevent him from claiming that the Indian team has enough firepower in their unit to defend the World Cup title playing at home.

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“As you saw, we dominated in all departments of the game today. We are a very good side and I am confident of retaining the World Cup. As far as my job problem is concerned, I will once again request the authorities to consider my financial problems and provide me a regular job, instead of me being employed on a contract basis,” he concluded.