From Local Grounds to Lord’s, Indian Mixed Disability Cricket Team All Set for Vitality IT20 Series 2026 

 It is a matter of great honour for DDCA, as the state association, to host this event and ensure that every facility is extended to the team. Over the past few years, we have consistently advocated for growing the ambit of Mixed Disability cricket, including within the city of Delhi, and this is one endeavour among several already in the pipeline. We stand fully behind this format of the game, with the complete support of the board and the ICC, and we remain committed to ensuring that the preparation and exposure provided to these players matches international standards. We look forward to celebrating the team further at the send-off planned during the opening ceremony of the Delhi Premier League, and I wish them all the very best as they return home as champions – Rohan Jaitley, President, DDCA

Rakesh Thapliyal 

New Delhi:The Indian Mixed Disability Cricket Team is preparing for a landmark tour of England as it gears up for the Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series 2026, a pioneering international competition that showcases players with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, and learning disabilities competing together in one unified format.

The Indian team’s participation in the Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series 2026 marks an important step in advancing mixed disability cricket and showcasing the skill, determination and sporting excellence of Indian athletes.

The 16-member Indian Men’s Mixed Disability Cricket Team comprises Majid Ah Magray (Captain, PD), Sai Akash Saivamani (Vice-Captain, Deaf), Rizwan Altaf Bhat (ID/Learning Disability), Arjun Rajesh Gawre (ID/Learning Disability), Kuldeep Singh (Deaf), Yashwanth Naidu Ravuri (Deaf), Vivek Kumar (Deaf), Sudarsun Elangovan (Deaf), Hilal Ahmad Wani (Deaf), Tarun (ID/Learning Disability), Ravindra Gopinath Sante (PD), Yogender Singh Bhadoria (PD), Vrushant Sandip Gunjal (PD), Rajesh Irappa Kannur (PD), Jayesh Parmar (ID/Learning Disability), and Shiva Shankara Guntiganapalli Subbarayappa (PD). Representing states across the country including Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal, the squad reflects the true breadth of India’s Mixed Disability cricket talent, bringing together players across the Physical Disability (PD), Deaf, and ID/Learning Disability categories under one banner as they prepare to compete on the international stage.

A special press conference was organised at Arun Jaitley stadium, for the Indian Men’s Mixed Disability Cricket Team ahead of the Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series 2026 in England. The event brought together players, coaches, cricket administrators and key dignitaries to celebrate the team’s achievements and wish them success as they prepare to represent India on the international stage.

Mr. Rohan Jaitley, President, DDCA said,  “It is a matter of great honour for DDCA, as the state association, to host this event and ensure that every facility is extended to the team. Over the past few years, we have consistently advocated for growing the ambit of Mixed Disability cricket, including within the city of Delhi, and this is one endeavour among several already in the pipeline. We stand fully behind this format of the game, with the complete support of the board and the ICC, and we remain committed to ensuring that the preparation and exposure provided to these players matches international standards. We look forward to celebrating the team further at the send-off planned during the opening ceremony of the Delhi Premier League, and I wish them all the very best as they return home as champions.”

Organized with support from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the Vitality IT20 series is designed to promote inclusivity while providing elite international competition for mixed disability cricketers. Every match in the series will also be live-streamed on ECB platforms, helping bring the sport to a wider audience.

Over the years, this partnership has played an instrumental role in helping differently abled cricketers move from playing on local, often under-resourced grounds to representing the country on some of the world’s most iconic international venues, including Lord’s Cricket Ground, where the team will play the concluding IT20 of this series. What began as an effort to build visibility and support systems for athletes with reduced mobility at the grassroots level has, through sustained collaboration, helped create a genuine pathway to the international stage.

The event was attended by Team India and its coach, DCCI officials and distinguished guests, marking an important milestone for the growth and recognition of inclusive cricket in India.

Mr. Ravi Chauhan, President, Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI), stated, “We at DCCI are grateful for Svayam’s partnership which has been central to this journey; from players training on local grounds with limited facilities to now walking out at venues like Lord’s. Ms. Jindal’s and Svayam’s consistent support has helped us build not just visibility, but a genuine pathway for these athletes to reach the international stage. We are deeply grateful for their continued commitment to this cause and we look forward to furthering inclusive cricket in India.”

As the team heads to England, the press conference served as a moment of encouragement and national pride, reinforcing the belief that sports must be accessible, inclusive and open to all.