From blind school to World Cup glory: Ajay Kumar Reddy's inspiring journey

Growing up in Gurazala, Andhra Pradesh, Ajay Kumar Reddy dreamt of serving his country as a soldier. However, a freak accident at the age of four shattered his dreams. The accident left him partially sighted but the determination to serve the country paved his path to cricket. 

Ajay Kumar Reddy's journey began in 2002 when he enrolled in the Lutheran High School for the Blind in Narsarapet. It was here that he learnt blind cricket and heard about Pakistan's dominance in the sport as 'Men in Green' defeated India in World Cups. Then, the two neighbouring countries faced tensions due to a militant attack on the Indian parliament.

Ajay's life was far from easy. Ajay's family faced financial hardship, often struggling to put food on the table. He faced discrimination due to his vision-related issues. Yet, Ajay concurred the pinnacle of cricket and dedicated himself to the sport.

From Zero to Hero

Ajay's dedication paid off in 2010 when he made his debut for India and became part of the T20 World Cup-winning team. However, Ajay had to wait a longer period for a victory against Pakistan who was the dominant force in blind cricket. That much-awaited moment arrived in the ODI World Cup final in 2014, where he scored a match-winning 74. The unbeaten innings came despite battling an injury.

Since then, Ajay has led 'Men in India' to two more global titles including an ODI World Cup win, and an Asia Cup title. The 33-year-old's achievements earned him the prestigious Arjuna Award, the first to be bestowed upon a player from the blind cricket community.

In an interview with daily pioneer, the India star player revealed that, "We have won so many World Cups but we didn't get the recognition. This is not my achievement but a recognition for the cricket for the blind."

He added, "We get Rs 3000 to play for India. Our players are not playing for the money, they play to make the country proud. But we also need to survive. We need financial support, we want recognition, we have also served the country."

Despite his fading vision, Ajay remains committed to the sport. He aspires to continue playing in the B2 category of blind cricket (players who can see up to 6m) if his treatment is successful. Otherwise, Ajay is prepared to shift to the B1 category for entirely or almost entirely blind athletes.