At an age when most teenagers are focused on school and sport, 17-year-old Singapore cricketer Advait Swaminathan has taken up a project that is helping young players in India. “I noticed many talented players who just couldn’t afford quality cricket equipment. That stayed with me,” he told Santosh Kumar of Tabla, recalling his training stints in Bengaluru where the idea first struck him.
His initiative, Bats for the Better, collects used cricket bats in Singapore, refurbishes them in Bengaluru, and donates them to aspiring cricketers who cannot afford quality gear. Professional willow bats often cost more than INR 20,000 (SGD 290), a price out of reach for many youngsters.
For players in cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, the difference between a substandard bat and a good one can decide their progress in the game.
Advait, who is of Indian-origin and studies at the Singapore American School, began training at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC) when he was six. A visit to Kashmir, India’s cricket bat manufacturing hub, gave him the idea of reusing old bats instead of letting them go to waste.
What started in late 2023 as a small collection from friends soon turned into a larger movement. In the first round, he gathered about 15 bats and got them refurbished at KIOC, where they were distributed to scholarship trainees. Encouraged by the response, he teamed up with fellow cricketer Pranav Dhanuka and sought support from the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) Cricket Academy.
With backing from the Academy’s CEO David Bennett, a formal collection drive was held in mid-2024. Posters and flyers brought in 35 bats within a week. The bats were sent to Bengaluru, where minor repairs such as fixing handles or smoothing cracks made them as good as new. According to Advait, nearly 50 bats worth around INR 10 lakh (SGD 15,000) have been given to young cricketers so far.
Speaking to Tabla, Bennett said, “It’s been inspiring to see Advait’s passion as a junior member at SCC, using cricket to make a real difference.” He added that the idea of giving bats a second life had struck a chord with the club’s members.
At KIOC, where the bats are repaired and distributed, head coach Irfan Sait told Tabla, “A good bat builds confidence, and confidence builds players. Advait’s effort ensures these kids have the tools they need to succeed.”
Pranav, who studies at United World College (East Campus), said the joy on players’ faces in Kolkata and Mumbai after receiving refurbished bats makes all the effort worthwhile.
The project is now expanding its scope. While bats remain the focus, the team is planning fundraising campaigns to buy helmets, pads and gloves, since such equipment cannot be reused. The first major fundraiser in Singapore is expected this year to support training fees and protective gear for underprivileged players.
Sustainability is also a key part of the effort. Each bat uses a large portion of willow, and by refurbishing discarded ones, the ecological impact of cricket gear is reduced. Advait said in his interview with Tabla that the goal is to create a model which academies across India and beyond can follow.
A member of Singapore’s Under-19 Development Squad, Advait has been playing cricket since he was three. For him, the sight of a young cricketer holding a refurbished bat is the most meaningful result of his work. “In that moment, the bat is more than just wood – it’s hope, confidence, and a future waiting to unfold,” he told Tabla.
As Bats for the Better grows, the teenager and his teammate want to take it beyond India. “This isn’t just about one city or one country. Cricket is loved across the world, and there are underprivileged players everywhere,” Advait said. “The dream is simple – to make cricket accessible, sustainable, and inclusive so no talented child is ever held back because they lack a bat.”
