ESPNCricinfo recently decided to use the word batter instead of batsman to make it more gender neutral. There have been a lot of talks around over last few days. Two former international cricket legend spoke on the same and welcomed the move including the Indian veteran Rahul Dravid.
Dravid’s take
Rahul Dravid welcomed the move and said, “Providing an equal playing field is a sporting ideal and cricket adopting gender-neutral terms can only be welcomed.” He explained how in general all are conditioned to use the word. Former Indian cricket team captain called it a progressive move.
Dravid opined, “We are conditioned to use the word “batsman” because that’s how it has always been. But, if you think about it, all the other playing roles are gender neutral. Cricket has been evolving in every possible way, as has language. This is a progressive move for cricket towards contemporary sensibilities.”
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What Vettori thinks?
Former New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori also applauded the initiative taken by the website. He also spoke about how women’s game is catching up with the men’s one. “It’s a great, positive move that ESPNcricinfo has originated to normalise all communications around cricket and making it gender-neutral. You see the women’s game catching up with the men’s game all the time. To put them on an equal footing is the right thing to do and it’s great to see ESPNcricinfo at the forefront again.”
According to Vettori, it would be great starting point. “I think normalising the language around cricket is a step that a lot of the younger generations would take themselves anyway. So for ESPNcricinfo to help that pathway, and to make it easier, particularly for ex-players who have grown up with a different use of terminology, it’s a great starting point so that they can get on the same page as the current younger generations.”
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