Visually-impaired cricketer member of World Cup winning Indian team is now working as a daily wage labourer

The COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that was imposed by the government to curb the spread of the deadly virus has badly affected several people across the India and many lost their livelihoods too. Now, as the coronavirus cases are declining in India and things are slowly returning to normal, there are still many people who are finding it tough to earn their livelihoods.

One of the affected person is visually-impaired cricketer Naresh Tumda. The Gujarat resident was part of the Indian side that defeated Pakistan to win the Blind Cricket World Cup in 2018. But now Tumda is forced to work as a labourer to earn his livelihood.  

Tumda was an important part of the Indian team that defeated Pakistan at Sharjah in the 2018 World Cup final. After winning the World Cup for India, Tumda applied for several government jobs but he failed to get



any positive response, Tumda has now appealed to the government to provide him a job so that he can earn some money. “I earn Rs 250 a day. I urge the government to give me a job so that I can earn my livelihood," he was quoted as saying by media.

It is learnt that the 29-year-old Tumda was selling vegetables when the lockdown was imposed across the country in 2020. But it was not helping him to cover the expenses of his family and that's why TUmda decided to work as a labourer. He said, “My parents are old. My father is unable to go to job. I am the sole breadwinner of the family.”

Tumda started playing cricket at the age of five and was selected in the Gujarat team in 2014. Then he was selected to represent India. It may be recalled that India managed to chase down Pakistan’s target of 308 runs by losing 8 wickets in the World Cup final.