Struggle of Indian cricketers nothing compared to other athletes: Virender Sehwag

Mumbai: The struggle that the Indian cricketers have to go through is nothing compared to that of the other sports' athletes from the country, said Virender Sehwag on Tuesday, in Mumbai.

Sehwag, who was asked to compare his struggle to break into Team India in his earlier days to the struggle that some of the athletes in the country have to face, said, he believes that a number of issues faced by these athletes need to be brought to light, in order for India to work on them, and win more medals in the Olympics, later on.

“My struggle was nothing compared to what these guys go through. For me, cricket facilities were present just about everywhere,” said Sehwag during the launch of a TV show where he would interview some of these athletes.

“There were a lot of coaches. You could get a lot of facilities at different academies. Compared to these guys, a cricketer’s struggle is nothing,” Virender Sehwag said.

“No Indian wants their sports persons to get left behind, or any particular sports to get left behind,”Sehwag said. “It’s the duty of the federations to make sure that the funds reach the athletes properly. They need to make sure that the athletes get proper facilities, so that they can win the medals for the country.”

The former Team India further went on to narrate the story of Indian rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal.

Bhokanal, who made it to the finals of the men’s single sculls event at the 2016 Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, did not even know how to swim, according to Sehwag.

“Dattu Bhokanal had joined the Army in 2012. He couldn’t swim, he was even afraid of water at first,” said Sehwag.

“But in 2016, he finished 13th in the Olympics. What can be more amazing and exciting than this? Within a few years, he qualified for the Olympics and finished 13th. If they get the proper training facilities at the correct time, then these athletes could perhaps have done even better,” he concluded.