It is natural to expect in a cricket crazy nation like India, there will be a number of people and associations that master the art of teaching cricket to young people and making them the stars of future generations. The real secret behind these amazing talents that India keeps pulling out every day is a plethora of remarkable cricket academies and their brilliant staff.
In this article, we look at seven such academies in India that promise to keep the future of Indian cricket safe. They are in no specific order.
National Cricket Academy, Bangalore:
This academy is not just a school for budding cricketers, it’s also that place which monitors the current Indian cricketers. The Bangalore-based academy boasts of the most advanced tools and facilities to help the emerging talent. Since its establishment by the BCCI in 2000, it has seen several big names like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble etc. coming in and helping young kids. It has a variety of practice pitches, bowling machines and gym facilities for complete development of players. Current Indian players who are looking to make a comeback after an injury or complete their rehabilitation period have to spend time at the NCA. Operations at NCA are currently monitored by none other than Rahul Dravid which is evident of the standard that NCA maintains.
Madan Lal Cricket Academy, Delhi:
This academy was inaugurated by the former Indian fast bowler and the star of 1983 World Cup final Madan Lal. It has over 4 practice pitches and some cement pitches as well. It offers a world-class infrastructure to its students. Getting into this academy requires skill, determination and sheer love for the game as the academy believes in pure quality. Besides Madan Lal, several former Indian, as well as international cricketers, visit this academy regularly so that the students can pick their brains. This academy provides professional training to private schools on a contract basis and also deals in professional cricket equipment.
Jaipur Cricket Academy, Jaipur:
It is the flagship cricket school in Rajasthan. The academy, which was inaugurated in 2010 by a cricket enthusiast and a popular businessman Shamsher Singh has names like Devendra Pal Singh and Mohammad Habib as the head coach and the additional coach respectively. These two gentlemen are highly revered in the coaching circles around the country. It offers off-season as well as seasonal camps and individual as well as group camps for its students. It believes in creating a learning, friendly and comfortable environment for its students.
National School of Cricket, Dehradun:
Located in Dehradun, this academy came into existence as a joint-venture of Abhimanyu Cricket Academy and Asian School. It prides itself on providing expert coaching that can help cricketers to deal with modern cricketing challenges. Hence, it has several high-speed bowling machines, floodlights for practising cricket under lights and advanced tools such as automated roller and grass cutters to provide the best playing conditions to its students. It also focuses on skill analysis and improvisation by using tools like stump mic, stump camera, snick-o-meter etc.
Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, Mumbai:
Dilip Vengsarkar who was India’s most prolific test match batsman for a good 3-4 years is the brain behind this facility. Admiration from various parts of the globe is a testament to the immense success this academy has had since its inception in 1994. Besides its impeccable professionalism and uncompromising coaching, the academy focuses a great deal on improving the mental state of students by providing free cricket psychology training. It also has a unique online platform to aid students from their homes as well.
VB Cricket Academy, Chennai:
This academy was established by the former Indian cricketer VB Chandrashekhar in 1997 and since then it has made a great reputation for itself. The academy not only provides comprehensive cricket training but also small summer camps and training camps for children ageing 6 to 19. The academy is known mainly for its balanced approach as it gives equal attention to all aspects of cricket: batting, bowling and fielding. Therefore, it is an all-round centre. It also uses advanced analytical tools for performance assessment and improvisation.
Karnataka Institute of Cricket, Bangalore:
This academy is widely appreciated by cricketers and administrators across India. A unique aspect of this centre is that it is not seasonal and remains open for all 365 days in a year. Besides focusing on pure cricketing aspects, it seeks to make students physically fit and strong. So it has hired a number of expert physiotherapists and conditioning coaches. It also believes in giving personal attention to all its students by providing one-to-one coaching and feedback.
