Hyderabad: World-renowned cricket bat maker Laver & Wood made its Indian debut on Monday by opening its maiden outlet in Hyderabad. The New Zealand company, famous for being the sole producer of handmade willows, made its India foray through Laver & India Private Limited, with its first franchise located at Road No.2, Banjara Hills. Telangana Minister for IT & MAUD K. T. Rama Rao inaugurated the store on Monday.
Custom made Laver & Wood’s bats have wide appeal among international cricketers and the long list of its fan club. includes legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, West Indian Brian Lara and Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasurya. “We’re the only company worldwide now that makes a bat through all phases from the cleft to the finished product in whatever shape you want it,” said Managing Director James Laver, whose family owns the company.
“Each bat is handmade after customers provide details such as height, batting style, favourite shot, most common dismissal method, type of wicket played on,” he said. In two decades of professional career, James Laver had personally made nearly 30,000 cricket bats. “Each bat takes about four hours of labour and goes through a week-long process of curing, shaping, sanding and polishing,” he said. Laver & Wood offers custom made bats in three categories — the elite Reserve range, traditional Private Bin range and the mid range Legend.
