A jersey that helps visually impaired cricket fans enjoy the game live

For Simu Das, cricket is more than just a sport; her passion for it gave her the courage to defy the odds. Das, a lifelong fan of cricket, always wanted to represent India in a cricket match, which she got a chance to at the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup in 2025.

In 2025, Simu was named ‘Best Player of the Series’ after India won the final match against Nepal at the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup. She told Samarth by Hyundai, an initiative that promotes inclusivity and works to change perceptions of disabilities, that her love for the sport has only grown since she was given the chance to represent her country.

For a long time, differently abled individuals like Das have enjoyed watching the sport alongside other fans. Cricket is a social connector: every Indian, regardless of their love for the sport, can get swept away by its competitiveness and team spirit.

Live commentary has always been a reliable way to enjoy the game with fellow fans, coupled with smartphones, live-streaming apps and commentary-aid apps, cricket has become even more accessible for visually impaired fans. But there is one gap that has not been completely bridged, that is being able to enjoy a match live in a stadium without relying on commentary or audio aid.

A jersey with haptics can make live cricket accessible

From fans to national athletes

Long-time cricket fan and cricketer Maharaja from Tamil Nadu also plays for the Indian Blind Cricket Team. For both Das and Maharaja, passion for cricket has never been restricted by their visual impairment.

In a video with Samarth by Hyundai, Maharaja has said he would someday like to experience a cricket game live without needing live-commentary apps.

Hoping to make this dream a reality for thousands of other such fans, Samarth by Hyundai worked with CuteCircuit, a wearable technology company, to develop a special jersey that uses haptics to translate every movement of a live cricket match onto the wearer’s body. It allows them to feel every moment of the game, a new way to enjoy their beloved sport.

A jersey that tells you when to cheer

Samarth by Hyundai, as part of ‘Feel The Game’ initiative, flew both Simu and Maharaja to the Women’s T20 World Cup match to support Team India live. CuteCircuit gave them each the jersey so they could feel the live movement of the match without entirely relying on audio aid.

CuteCircuit designed the jersey to translate the entire field of play into sensations felt on the body. With 24 haptic sensors, the wearer’s body becomes a map of the cricket pitch in real time, capturing every moment of the game. So if the batter hits a six that lands on the right side of the field, the wearer will feel six pulses on the right side of their body.

Slowly creating a buffet of accessibility tools

For years, Simu and Maharaja have followed cricket through someone else’s voice. In that stadium, wearing a jersey that turned the pitch into a map across their bodies, they didn’t have to wait for the commentary to tell them when to cheer. The next step is getting that feeling to the thousands of fans who are still listening from the sidelines, and Samarth by Hyundai is working with the government and NGOs to do exactly that. Because for fans like Simu and Maharaja, the dream was never just to follow the game. It was to be in it.