Doctor on call in all Board games

BCCI has made it compulsory for every host association to have a physician and an ambulance on the ground from this season. Khurram Habib reports.

As the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy final between Mumbai and Delhi was being played here, an ambulance was stationed at the venue's entrance on all four days. A physician from the GB Pant Hospital was present too.

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With so many accidents on the field (last year a bowler died in a club match in England), it seems the BCCI doesn't want to take chances. It has made it compulsory for every host association to have a physician and an ambulance on the ground from this season.

Mandatory

“It covers all BCCI matches, from the junior-most to the senior games. We had it in the last Ranji Trophy season too. But from this season, this is mandatory for all games, including the age-group tournaments,” BCCI vice-president Niranjan Shah told Hindustan Times.

Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) vice-president, Chetan Chauhan said, “We had this arrangement last season as well. A couple of years back, during a match down South, a player was hit by a ball. Because it was unexpected, there was no ambulance and the player's condition became critical. Since then, the BCCI has told every association to make first aid arrangements. There is always a risk.”

However, despite the BCCI directive, certain associations have not been able to follow it regularly. “It is mainly due the fact that some venues are far off from the city hubs. But such instances are few,” said Shah.