INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The seven-year-old prefers to play as a leg spin bowler
Around
Christmas last year, seven-year-old Australian cricket super-fan Archie Schiller was lying in a hospital bed, breathing through a tube as he
recovered from his third heart surgery.But this year the seven-year-old was able to forget, just briefly, the troubles of his congenital
heart disease.On Wednesday, he strode onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground as honorary co-captain of the Australian cricket team as they took
on India.He was captain for the Boxing Day Test - his country's biggest cricket match of the year.Thousands of spectators watched as the
little boy shook hands with the Indian captain at the coin toss, signalling the start of the match."He was just on top of the world to be
out there with the team, I've never seen him smile so much," his mother Sarah Schiller told the TheIndianSubcontinent.Image copyrightGetty
ImagesImage caption
Representing Australia, Archie met India's captain Virat Kohli at the coin toss to begin the
match
For the young cricket fan, he was granted his dream "to captain Australia" by Cricket Australia and the Make-A-Wish
Foundation charity.He joined in warm-up drills prior to the match and struck up friendships with the players."He said he felt included in
what was going on and he loves this sport so much
He sleeps now with his baggy green [cap] on - he would sleep in his team blazer if we allowed him to," Mrs Schiller said."He handled the day
When he got there, he just put on his whites and said, 'See ya Mum and Dad, I'm with my mates now'"
Ms Schiller said the entire Australian cricket team engaged with him and "that was just a big thing for him, to have him go there and spend
time with people he idolises."Archie was diagnosed with a heart condition at birth, and underwent open-heart surgery at three months and he
has undergone 13 surgeries in total.Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The seven-year-old prefers to play as a leg
spin bowler
He has missed months of school as a result, and in his daily life, finds it hard to keep up with his
schoolmates."He'll try his hardest, he'll go and go and go, but he just isn't able to get up and run like the other kids
But he just wants to be a part of things," Mrs Schiller said.She added that Archie had previously only travelled to Melbourne from his home
in Adelaide for operations."He can't quite believe that he doesn't have to go to the hospital this time," she said."Last Christmas, we
thought we wouldn't get back home from the hospital so to be together this year as a family, it's just perfect".
