Cricket bat industry of India

Traditional Indian cricket bats are wooden bats made in India, in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat and Rajasthan. In Kashmir it is made out of willow found in northern India,^[1] whereas trees like teak and saal wood are used in making these bats in north-western region of country. Some bats made in Kashmir are of international standards and are/were used by many national players in India such as Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh. Bats made in other regions are generally of lower quality and mainly used in non-professional games of cricket such as tennis ball cricket which are played in streets and neighborhoods across India.

Kashmiri willow bats

The willow used in making these bats was brought in by the British, who ruled India, during the 1920s.^[2] These bats are not only popular in India, but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka .The cost range of these bats is from a mere Rs.500 to Rs.10000. Generally considered to be heavier than English willow bats, these bats are preferred by players of the sub-continent who prefer the greater speed generated by these bats. Traditional methods are still used by the industry established in Kashmir, combining traditional tools with modern technology.^[3]

Kashmiri bats require constant knocking and oiling to make the bat good enough to use in a cricket match. Knocking is done so as to make the fibres of the willow blade compress together which helps the bat bear the impact of the ball. Constant knocking for six hours is required so that the edges of the bat are well shaped. Another major aspect of taking care of such bats is oiling. Oil is applied on the back, toe, front and edges of the bat to make it more durable and to ensure the fibers get knitted properly.^[3] Some of the districts where these bats are made in Kashmir are as follows:

• Anantnag
• Baramula
• Pahalgam.^[4]

Problems of the bat industry in Kashmir

The bat industry these days in Kashmir is facing a number of problems and are losing their market shares not only in India, but also internationally. The constant competition from the English Willow and Kookaburra bats, which are used by many international players such as Ricky Ponting, are proving to be tough competition for Indian made bats. For the time being, Kookaburra bats are withdrawn from the market,^[5] but still continue to pose a treat to the Kashmiri Bat industry. Kashmiri willow is also regarded to be of inferior quality to English willow bats as it is considered to be of lesser quality in terms of grain quality and structure.^[6] Another major problem is that of terrorism and constant unrest in the Kashmir valley which is causing losses in the region of Rs.30 crore to the industry .The hub of bat manufacturing is done around the seven villages—Charsoo, Hallmullaha, Bijbehara, Sangam, Sethar, Pujteng and Mirzapor in the South Kashmir, are the ones who have been badly hit. The bat factories located in the villages, which, according to traders, used to make nearly five lakh bats per year have been torn apart by turmoils.^[7]

A new ray of hope was seen for this industry during the IPL seasons. During the Cricket World Cup 2011, the sales figures of these bats rose from 15% to 18%^[8]

Other areas and bats

Generally bats in other parts of country are made from the local wood found in the areas. These bats are of low quality and do not require as much care or knocking. These bats are made by local bat-makers, and sell at a price range of Rs.200–300. One such establishment of bat-makers are from Gandhinagar, who migrate during the summer to different parts of the nation. They can even be seen selling the new mongoose cricket bats and are preferred by casual players of the game.^[9]

References

1. ^ kashmir Willow Cricket Bats - kashmir Willow Cricket Bats Manufacturer, Supplier, Trading Company, New Delhi, India
2. ^ Cricket Bats
3. ^ ^{a b} Welcome To MyKashmir, Kashmir's Own Informational PORTAL(sports goods)
4. ^ http://unboxedwriters.com/2011/05/stories-from-kashmir-weeping-willows.html
5. ^ http://www.netcomposites.com/newspic.asp?3612.html
6. ^ http://www.dreamcricket.com/dreamcricket/pavilion/buyingguide_Englishwillow_versus_kashmirwillow.asp.html
7. ^ (August 29, 2010.) "Violence sends Kashmir bat manufacturers out of turf." The Economic Times. Accessed October 2011.
8. ^ Buncombe, Andrew (March 30, 2011.) "World Cup gives Kashmir bat industry shot in arm." The Independent. Accessed October 2011.
9. ^ Demand for mongoose bats high on IPL fever pitch