Legends of Indian cricket, including MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli, have banded together to contribute to a charity auction that will support the Vipla Foundation, an organization that works to uplift underprivileged areas in India. The auction, headlined “Cricket for a Cause: To Benefit the Vipla Foundation,” was organized by Indian wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul and his spouse Athiya Shetty. The Vipla Foundation will directly benefit from the sale of a number of historic cricket memorabilia artifacts that are up for auction.
A signed cricket bat from MS Dhoni from the 2024 Indian Premier League, autographed bats from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul from the 2023 World Cup, and a signed Indian cricket team shirt from Virat Kohli from the 2019 World Cup are just a few of the intriguing cricket items up for sale. For these things, the beginning bids vary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3,50,000.
For 36 years, the Vipla Foundation has worked tirelessly to empower women and children. They have even established a special school for those with intellectual disabilities and hearing impairments. The school is equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, including play spaces, speech therapy rooms, and smart classrooms. The purpose of the auction is to raise additional funds for the facilities that assist disadvantaged kids in different ways.
“This is not just an auction; it’s an opportunity for all of us to come together and make a difference. It’s heartwarming to see the cricketing legends come together for such a noble cause. Every item tells a story of passion, hard work, and triumph,” said Mana Shetty, the trustee of the Vipla Foundation.
There will be 27 things up for auction. Among the items signed are a bat signed by Rahul Dravid from India’s 2011 tour to England, jerseys signed by R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, and Yuzvendra Chahal for the Rajasthan Royals, Ravindra Jadeja for the Chennai Super Kings, bats signed by Marcus Stoinis, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, and more.
