Effect of Vision Training on Visual Reaction Time of Young Cricketers

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22671414

Pratik Dhankhar and Bhagat Singh Rathee (Department of Physical Education, M.D. University, Rohtak, Haryana)

Vision is playing an increasingly important role in modern sport, particularly in sports that require rapid decisions and fine motor control. Cricket is a visually demanding sport that requires rapid visual processing and immediate motor output, particularly for batsmen facing fast bowling. The present study was conducted to find out the effect of 8 weeks structured vision training program on visual reaction time in young state level cricketers of Rohtak, Haryana. Selection of Subjects 40 right-handed male cricketers with age ranging between 14-17 years were selected by simple random sampling and divided into experimental group (n=20) and control group (n=20). The experimental group underwent vision training three times a week that targeted the most essential visual skills including saccadic eye movements, visual tracking, depth perception, dynamic visual acuity and peripheral awareness. The control group maintained normal cricket practice. The Ruler Drop Test was used to measure visual reaction time (Mackenzie, 2009). True treatment effects were analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with pre-test scores as covariates. The results showed statistically significant improvements in the visual reaction time of the experimental group (F = 31.67, p < 0.001). Post hoc Bonferroni comparisons showed the intervention to be quite effective. The study concluded that vision training can be an effective component of youth athletic development, particularly in the development of visual reaction efficiency, which is important to cricket performance.