IT Correspondent
New Delhi, July 30:
Financial stringency has compelled former skipper of physically challenged India cricket team Dinesh Sain to apply for peon’s job at the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) located in New Delhi.
Inflicted with polio since birth, Dinesh Sain played nine games for India’s physically challenged team between 2015 and 2019, also captaining the side during this time. But now at the age of 35, he is looking for a steady income to support his family — wife and a one-year-old toddler.
Dinesh Sain has worn the India blue on a cricket field and even led the national team for the physically challenged but the vagaries of life have now made him desperate for a peon’s job at the NADA. “I am 35 and currently in first year of my graduation. After 12th standard, I only played cricket and represented India but I have no money now. There is one vacancy for a peon’s post in NADA,” Sain said.
If he gets the job at NADA, it will help him remain attached to the game, mentoring young players. “I will not play cricket anymore but I need to feed my family and I want to remain attached to the game,” he said.
Sain resides in Sonepat (Haryana). His elder brothers have looked after him and his family till now but he says that time is running out and that is why he is desperate to get the NADA job.
“The age limit for normal people in this job (peon) is 25 and for the physically handicapped category, it is 35 years. So, this is my last chance to get a government job,” Dinesh, who had earlier appeared for peon’s interview at District court, said.
His only regret these days is the fact that despite playing for the country, fame and money eluded him. “One of my legs has been affected by polio since birth. But my passion for cricket never made me realise I am disabled. In the 2015 edition of a five-nation tournament in Bangladesh, I was highest wicket-taker with 8 wickets from four games. They included two wickets against Pakistan, he recollected.
In fact, Dinesh travelled to England in 2019 with the team as an official. The team emerged champion. He was included in the squad, not as player but to guide the new boys.
