The Indian government’s recent designation of Kashmir willow cricket bats as a handicraft item brings much-needed support for artisans and manufacturers, laying the groundwork for expansion

Srinagar: Annually around 30 lakh cricket bats are produced in Jammu & Kashmir that are used by rest of India and the State is currently the second largest exporter after the UK.

These bats are made using Kashmir willow – a tree that grows naturally in the area. Despite their high quality, Kashmir willow bats have long struggled to enter the professional cricket market. Now, Anantnag-based GR8 Sports is set to change that by bringing these locally-made bats onto the international stage for professional play.

After years of research and trials GR8 created a bat that matches international standards and has gained ICC certification to go with it. “It is as good as the English Willow bat, says Vice President of the Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association of Kashmir (CBMAK), Fawzul Kabiir, who is also the managing director of GR8 Sports. He spent all he had and more than a decade into creating a bat that can now compete with English Willow Bat, which is technically made with same wood – a variety of Salim Alba.

During the past couple of years the company has been successful in reaching out to international players to gain their approval. Kashmir Willow Bat made by GR8 was used when Junaid Sidique of UAE hit the longest six of the season during T20 World Cup 2022. This year the bats debuted in the Women’s T20 World Cup with West Indies players like opener Qiana Joseph, Aaliyah Alleyne, Zaida James, and Shamilia Connell using them. The demand is only increasing, which MD of GR8 says the company is not yet financially equipped to meet. The company is currently able to meet 20 per cent of the demand. The company manufactures around 300 bats per day and logs in a turnover of 12 crore per annum. The cost of bats starts at Rs 400 and the ones created specifically for professional players are available up to Rs 47,000 making it a cost effective alternative.

“We have given the world an alternative in the professional cricket space” states Kabir. “It is an asset before the government of India. It is a 44,000 crore project in India and internationally the market is worth much more. It’s a huge market to capitalise on.”

Awareness is also the key he adds. It is perceived that imported bats are by far the best, and there are times when Kashmir Willow is used to make bats that are instead sold at higher costs.

For decades Kashmir’s bat industry has been manufacturing cricket bats for the country. There are 400 manufacturing units in the State and around 1,40,000 people associated with it. The sector not only contributes to local employment but also helps preserve a centuries-old tradition, blending artistry with sport.

Evidently, the Kashmir willow cricket bat sector is at a crossroads. Recently, government of India officially designated ‘Kashmir willow cricket bat’ as a handicraft item; surely a shot in the arm for artisans and manufacturers who will now be eligible for the government schemes and development initiatives.

“Today, we have also mastered the skill of manufacturing world class bats that have the calibre to be used in professional arena. We use AI to refine the quality of our bats. We as an industry are ready to take over the market. However, we are taking one step at a time. We at GR8 do not want to rush with our manufacturing as we do not want to compromise on quality. We are also looking at funding options as well. There was a time we would not even get bank loans. But now we have given confidence to our investors,” shares Kabiir who is also a strong voice of the Kashmir Willow bat industry.

“We had only eight cricket playing nations at one time. Now we have 162 countries playing cricket. That is a huge opportunity to grab. We at GR8 are patenting this technology. We are ready to share our knowledge with others in the industry who wish to upskill into international space in order to expand our capacity and capture the market,” he adds.

Fawzul Kabiir was speaking to the media delegation from Hyderabad that visited the Kashmir Willow cricket bat manufacturing unit at Halmuli, Bijbehara. He shared insights into the industry, which needs support from government and stakeholders to sustain and flourish.