Recognition, government support could be a win for Kashmiri willow cricket bats

Cricket was introduced to India over a century ago and as the game grew in the country, it led to the emergence of the cricket bat industry. Now, there is a resurgence of interest in the Kashmiri willow, used for manufacturing cricket bats, with its use in recent cricket tournaments and most recently because of the visit of legendary former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to a bat factory in the Sangam area of Anantnag district in South Kashmir in February. His visit reignited discussions about Kashmiri willow, known for its quality, and the cricket bats produced from it.

However, this established industry, which directly and indirectly employs 150,000 Kashmiris, according to Fawzul Kabiir, spokesperson for the Cricket Bat Manufacturers’ Association of Kashmir, faces several challenges that require the attention of policymakers. The primary issue is the quality of the bats which can vary because of the lack of consistency in the material used. Manufacturers and willow growers in Kashmir often find it difficult to identify the suitable willow for cricket bats.

With limited resources, they land up using certain varieties of species of willow without being certain about their suitability for cricket bats, which need wood that is light, strong and with which cricketers can...

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