Chenchu Youth and Their Passion for Cricket

"We eagerly wait for the evenings. After a full day of toiling in the fields, cricket helps us relax and come together," shared a young Chenchu from Sarlapally village.

Recently, we had the opportunity to engage with the Chenchu community, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), in Amrabad Mandal of Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district. Our interaction was part of a sports outreach focused on cricket. For the youth, cricket is more than just a game -- it’s a way to unwind, build friendships, and keep their community spirit alive.

As the Chenchu community in the Nallamalla forest area has been pushed from a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a dependence on agriculture, most of the youth spend their time helping their families in cotton fields while waiting for other employment opportunities or further education. Their long hours in the fields leave little time for recreation. Cricket offers them a much-needed escape and a sense of normalcy amid these changes.

The practice net in Sarlapally

Despite limited space in their village, the youth travel to nearby villages to play and connect through the sport they love. Recognising their passion, we supported them in building their own cricket net right in their village, providing a dedicated space to practice and develop their skills.