Kapil, Gavaskar and Azharuddin back ICA initiative

Apart from Gavaskar and Kapil, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Gundappa Viswanath and Gautam Gambhir have also pledged their support.

Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar have backed ICA's plans to help former cricketers.

As the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) plans to extend help to former cricketers, who are not eligible to receive pension from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) nor have any source of income in these trying times, legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have come forward to back the initiative.

 

"Legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev are on the same page with us on this initiative. This is a big boost," ICA chief and former India cricketer, Ashok Malhotra, told Sportstar.

This publication understands that apart from Gavaskar and Kapil, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Gundappa Viswanath and Gautam Gambhir have also pledged their support.

 

"We plan to help out 30 needy cricketers and so far, the response has been very satisfying," Malhotra said, adding that already Rs 38 lakh have been raised. "By May 15, we hope to get some more amount and then we will shortlist the players from each zone and distribute the money," the ICA chief stated.

The ICA, which has 1750 former cricketers registered with it, has contributed Rs 10 lakh to the initiative.

 

"In times like these, it is our duty to be with the former cricketers who are struggling to make ends meet. We will continue to support them," Malhotra said.