Nagpur: Bringing pride to her hometown Nagpur, Dr. Sonali Pande, an orthopedic surgeon and sports and exercise medicine specialist based in Darwin, Australia, has been appointed as the team doctor for the Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) cricket team. She is currently touring India with the squad for the upcoming T20 and one-day tri-series against South Africa and India at Karnal Cricket Stadium, Delhi.
Dr. Sonali, an alumnus of Somalwar School and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital (IGGMCH), Nagpur, has an illustrious academic background, holding triple master’s degrees in her field. Her appointment highlights not just her medical expertise but also her passion for sports and athlete care.
Gold Rate
Tuesday 04 March 2025
Challenges of managing a deaf cricket team
Speaking about the unique challenges of her role, Dr. Sonali emphasized the risks associated with hearing-impaired players on the field. “Most players use cochlear implants or hearing aids in daily life, but they have to remove them while playing, which significantly increases the risk of collision injuries. This is where orthopaedic expertise plays a crucial role,” she explained while talking to a local newspaper.
To ensure seamless communication, a sign language interpreter is travelling with the team, facilitating coordination between players, coaches, and medical staff.
Three years ago, she not only migrated from Brunei to Australia but she made a change in her professional expertise. This is creditable. Even as very few women take orthopaedics, but Dr Sonali Ketan Pande, erstwhile Dr Sonali Sudhir Babhulkar showed courage to do so. She is carrying the legacy of her father but she has a very proud feeling that she has earned the credentials on her own. She is self-made and known as Dr Sonali in her profession abroad.
Though Dr Sonali does not have to take care of every single thing of the team, she needs to monitor the team members’ health off the field and on the field. In Deaf team, most members are the ones who have undergone cochlear implant procedure. During their play, these players have to remove the equipment and play. With the implant, they can hear but without it they can’t hear a word. This leads to some accidental injuries on the ground. In a normal match, suppose two players run and try to take a catch, then they give a call to each other to avoid any collision. Here in Deaf’s cricket such collisions are common.
With her experience of 25 years in the field of orthopaedics and traumatology, she can offer her patients evidence-based treatment for sprains, fractures, various types of arthritis, sports injuries and repetitive stress injuries. Dr Sonali has done Masters degrees in Orthopaedics from India and UK. She has a Graduate Diploma and Masters in Sports Medicine from Australia and a certificate in Rheumatology from the US.
Dr Sonali Pande comes from the background where everyone is orthopaedic surgeon– her father Dr Sudhir Babhulkar, her brother Dr Sushrut, her husband Dr Ketan. But she has taken a different path which is creditable. When Dr Sonali came with Cricket Australia to India, many people expressed surprise when they came to know an Indian that too a woman is the Team Physician for that team. She knows she has miles to go but she is also confident that she is growing, her excellence will make her grow more.
Favourable playing conditions in India
With Delhi’s air quality improving, Dr. Sonali noted that conditions are currently favourable for the players, making their training sessions and match preparations smoother. She also acknowledged the efforts of the Indian Deaf Cricket Association, expressing gratitude for their continued support in promoting the sport and providing opportunities to the hearing-impaired cricketing community.
Dr. Sonali’s journey from Nagpur to Australia and now to the international cricketing stage is an inspiring testament to her dedication and expertise in sports medicine.
