Jacob Martin, who played for India from 1999 to 2001 had suffered a life-threatening accident on December 28. The former Indian cricketer had injured his lungs and liver in the brutal road accident, and is on ventilator support since then. A lot of former Indian cricketers, including Sourav Ganguly, have come forward to support the grieving family financially, after they had appealed the cricketing community to help them raise funds.

Former Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly, too, has come forward in support of his former teammate. Speaking to The Telegraph, Ganguly said, “Martin and I have been teammates, and I remember him as a quiet, introvert-type of person. While praying for Martin’s speedy recovery, I’d like his family to know that they don’t stand alone.”

Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Secretary Sanjay Patel, who has taken the initiative to raise funds for Jacob Martin also said that a lot of other Indian players had come forward in support. Patel said, “It’s overwhelming that Zaheer Khan, Yusuf and Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Sourav (Ganguly) and Ravi (Shastri), among others, have come forward to extend a helping hand in this time of distress for Martin’s family.”

The former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Patel also informed that the BCCI had stepped in and contributed Rs 5 lakhs to fund. Also, the BCA supported the family by sanctioning Rs. 3 lakhs.

Talking to The Telegraph about Jacob Martin’s episode, Patel said, “Once I came to know about the accident I tried to help Jacob's family in every possible way. I have spoken to a few well-wishers, including Samarjitsinh Gaekwad (member of the former ruling family of Baroda and former BCA president) who donated Rs 1 lakh, and accumulated around Rs 5 lakh for his treatment.”

He further added, “The hospital bills have already crossed Rs 11 lakh, and at one point, the hospital had even stopped providing medicine. The BCCI deposited the amount directly, and the treatment hasn't been affected thereafter.”

Jacob Martin was part of the Indian cricket team from September 1999 to October 2001. Martin made a debut under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, and went on to play 10 ODIs in his brief career, averaging 22.57. In domestic cricket, Martin played for the teams of Baroda and Railways before playing his last List A match for Baroda in 2009.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2019 07:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).