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Sports ministry rubbishes speculations of turning cricketers into baseball players
The sports ministry said it did not consider this idea at any level during the meetings of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC).
The turf includes an organic infill and geotextile fabric optimized to ensure performance in Dubai’s high temperatures. (Photo Credit: Baseball United)
The Indian sports ministry rubbished the speculation that it is contemplating harnessing a massive pool of cricketers to turn them into baseball players for the Asian Games and Olympics.
According to a PTI report, the ministry did not consider this idea at any level during the meetings of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC).
“This is completely imaginary. Baseball is not even recognised by the ministry. Why will SAI (Sports Authority of India) get into cricket or turning cricket players into baseball players?” a senior ministry source told the news agency.
India never competed in baseball at the Asian Games or Olympics. Baseball is part of the Olympics since 1992 and the Asian Games since 1994.
“This was not discussed at the MOC meeting. We are busy ensuring that we improve and build upon sports in which we are doing reasonably well, there is no time to get involved in something like this,” the ministry source said.
To get cricketers to play baseball will require the sports ministry to coordinate with the BCCI, which is an autonomous body.
Cricket will be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in the T20 format, and BCCI is entrusted with the task of team selection.
Given the structure of Indian cricket, where the source of earning is plenty, with domestic cricket and IPL being the biggest source of livelihood for Indian cricketers, nobody would like to switch to baseball.
