Pan-disability series ‘a new challenge and a fresh motivation’ for Callum Flynn

England captain Callum Flynn is ready to lead a new era of collaboration for the country’s top disabled cricketers and plans to learn sign language to communicate with his new deaf team-mates.

Flynn led England’s physical disability side to a runners-up finish at last month’s Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka and has been earmarked as skipper for the first ever pan-disability international series against India this summer.

The format, which merges physically disabled players with those from the learning disability and deaf teams, was trialled successfully at domestic level last year and is seen as an opportunity to grow the sport globally.

Most of England’s PD opportunities come against Asian nations but it is hoped mixed impairment cricket could be a model to attract the likes of Australia and South Africa to the table.

“It’s a new challenge and a fresh motivation. I live for representing England, it’s the biggest honour I have in my life and I want to take it head on and adapt,” he told the PA news agency.

“It would be a massive honour to captain the team and a challenge as well, because it’s all about communication. We are obviously putting three different England squads together and that’s going to take some problem solving.

“That’s going to mean tapping into some of the parents from the learning disability squad, because they play a really vital role. For our deaf players, they aren’t allowed to wear hearing aids, so there’s a lot of lip reading.

“As a skipper you’ll have to look at doing certain different things like taking a basic sign language course because you want to be able to communicate well with your bowlers or if you’re changing the field.

“It’s going to be good for the game and hopefully make it more stable. We don’t get to play teams like Australia and South Africa but in squads like these, six players from each set-up, they’ll only need one lot of funding.”

Flynn, who needed a titanium knee replacement after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma bone cancer at the age of 14, is certain to be part of the India series – which is likely to include a double-header with the England women’s team broadcast live on television.

“Of course there are lads who feel a little nervous about what the future holds, who feel like it could be their time to go, but I’ve told everyone it’s another chance to prove yourself again,” Flynn said.

“This is our dream, our purpose in life. We all work, we have families, but it means so much to the boys to play for England. We’re knocking down the blocks that stop people playing disability sport.

“It’s a great showcase we’ve got and we want to keep creating similar opportunities for others in the future. People can feel insecure about their disabilities but we want to give our game a platform and get more people into it.

“We want to be seen for our skills first and foremost and as disabled cricketers second.”