Kapil Dev Calls For Support To Ailing Anshuman Gaekwad, Believes BCCI Will Provide Financial Aid

India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to provide financial support to ailing former teammate Anshuman Gaekwad.

Gaekwad, who has served Indian cricket in the past as player and as head coach, has been battling blood cancer and is undergoing treatment for the same since the past year at King's College Hospital in London.

The 71-year-old is undergoing chemotherapy at a private hospital in Vadodara, Gaekwad, and now finds himself in a delicate state with advice to rest and shield against potential infections.

His battle with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has also left the former cricketer grappling for funds for his treatment. In support of his financial aid, his former teammate Kapil Dev has urged for support for the ailing cricketer.

Kapil is confident that the BCCI will look into the matter and provide financial assistance to the former India head coach Gaekwad, but also urged the fans to provide any form of support for a player, who stood up fast bowlers in his playing career.

"It is a sad and very depressing. I am in pain because I have played alongside Anshu and can't bear to see him in this state. No one should suffer. I know the Board will take care of him," Kapil Dev told Sportstar.

"We are not compelling anyone. Any help for Anshu will have to come from your heart. He took blows on his face and chest when standing up to some of the ferocious fast bowlers. Now is the time for us to stand up for him. I am sure our cricket fans will not fail him. They should pray for his recovery."

Kapil revealed that there is no system in place for helping former cricketers and said the board has to do something about looking after their past cricketers before adding that some former players are even ready to contribute their pension amount to help Gaekwad.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a system. It is great to see this generation of players make good money. It is good to see the support staff members also being paid well," Kapil Dev added

"In our time, the Board did not have the money. Today, it has and should take care of the senior players from the past... We are ready to contribute by donating our pension amount if the family allows us to."

Kapil also said that his former teammates such as Mohinder Amarnath, Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil, Dilip Vengsarkar, Madan Lal, Ravi Shastri and Kirti Azad are doing their best to generate funds for Gaikwad's treatment.

It was Sandeep Patil, who wrote in his column for Mid-Day, that Anshuman informed him about his need for financial support for the treatment when he met the ailing cricketer at the King's College Hospital in London.

"Anshu told me that he needs funds for his treatment. Soon, Dilip Vengsarkar and me spoke to BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar. In fact, our calls were made to Ashish Shelar after seeing Anshu at King's College Hospital in London. Ashish Shelar instantly said he would look into ours and other former cricketers' request for funds," said Patil in a column on Mid-Day.

"I'm sure he will facilitate this and, at the risk of sounding macabre, save Anshu's life. Any cricketer from any country should be helped by his Board, but Anshu's case must be taken on priority and treated as paramount."