Phil Hughes’ tragic death has shocked the cricket world so much that even young Indian first-class players are demanding better equipped helmets in the coming days to minimise the possibility of head injury.
Delhi's Ranji Trophy probables practised at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground and former India U-19 captain Unmukt Chand said that he has already told the company which supplies him helmets to give the latest version with better cover. “I have told my kit sponsors to send me the newly designed helmets. Phil Hughes was wearing Masuri's older version of helmets. The newly-designed ones have their grills extended till the neck region. So you minimise the possibility of having any exposed area in that delicate part,” Chand, playing for North Zone, said.
Helmet manufacturing company Masuri has come up with their new line of helmets Vision Series X-line, which covers the region around and below the ear better than the old red Masuri helmet Hughes was wearing.
Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir feels otherwise. “Masuri makes the best helmets and you can't blame the manufacturer. The helmet that I wear is not the one that Hughes was wearing. It's just luck and nothing else. He got hit in a delicate region and it was freak.”
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that it's not about helmets but players should be conscious about wearing all the protective gears while batting. “It's not about helmets only. I have seen batsmen not wearing chest guards which is very wrong. Some feel their body movement gets restricted by chest guards but I have never felt that way. I believe one can even sustain serious chest injuries or rib-cage fractures. So it's not only about helmets but also about chest guards.” Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya feels that since the time manufacturers have started making protective grill, the quality has improved. “The newer ones made of titanium rather than iron can bear the impact better if a bouncer hits the grill. But yes, if a bit more modification can further improve the quality of helmets nothing like it,” said Dahiya.