CHENNAI: The newly-constituted National Cricket Academy board held its first meeting in New Delhi on Thursday and decided to ask BCCI units to expedite the process of setting up satellite academies in different states with immediate effect.
Implementation of ideas coming out of a specially-appointed committee’s visit to Australia was among other decisions amid search for location. Plans to shift the facility based at M Chinnasway Stadium elsewhere in Bengaluru has run into litigation and according to BCCI members who took part in Thursday’s meeting, new plot of land can be procured in some other city.
Talking to Express on condition of anonymity, a member of the NCA board said state units will be given a deadline to complete work on the academy front.
“It’s been noticed that of South Zone units, with the exception of Hyderabad, others have done or are in the process of setting up academies on lines prescribed by NCA. Elsewhere, things are not moving at expected pace. They will be told to get this done before the end of next season (2016 April, tentatively),” he said.
A team including NCA director Brijesh Patel had visited Australia last year to import ideas and wherewithal to better facilities. This member of the board informed the existing academic course will be restructured following inputs from the Australia trip. Patel was among those who attended the meeting, with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and NCA board chairman MP Pandove.
“The current structure has to be upgraded. There have been updates in knowledge and technology and those elements have to be incorporated in our syllabus. It’s been a while since the courses were designed and there is need to put in place new ideas and practices. Our delegation discussed exchange programmes for players and coaches. Our players and coaches will visit the High Performance Centre in Cricket Australia’s academy,” said the member.
A senior BCCI member who attended the meeting said because work at a plot near Bengaluru can’t start, they are open to another city. “Despite investing R50 crore, we’ve got stuck due to legal hassles. If the problem persists, we’ll look for other options, like Pune. But we are yet to find a suitable place,” he said, refuting reports that a decision has been taken.
BCCI to Help Nepal Cricketers
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has proposed to help Nepal cricketers, who have been affected by the earthquake. “Considering the unfortunate tragedy that has devastated Nepal, Anurag Thakur has proposed that the BCCI must extend the facilities available at the NCA to the national cricketers of Nepal, who are deprived of such infrastructure, which will take time to be restored in their home-country,” a media release issued by BCCI stated.
