Where Cricket is almost like a religion in a nation, it is quite evident that the states of the country would have extensive levels of cricketing opportunities, in terms of leveling and conditioning their game up to Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali or even to the IPL and International level. Almost all well-renowned states have some of the well rounded cricketing academies which could compete with the academies of Australia and England. And with the astronomical level of population of the country, competition is sky high, which is exactly what you or your children need to be admitted into the right academy that has an array of all the holistic development programs which has all the things from physical & mental conditioning to indoor facilities.
Players like Gautam Gambhir or Amit Mishra come from LB Shastri Cricket Academy or Sonnet Cricket Club, where an array of players like Sehwag, Nehra, Pant, and Dhawan have all played for the academy. As we proceed forward, we will have an understanding of the criteria for choosing an academy, along with the types of academies and some of the best academies in all of India.
Choosing the right academy
When choosing the right academy, the parents are more often than not prioritizing big names rather than the actual quality of academies. You’ll see people getting their children at MS Dhoni Cricket Academy, Yuvraj Singh Academy, Virat Kohli Academy, and so many more.
But you need to realize that their involvement in those academies is incredibly minimal. Careful research is required to know which is the right academy for you or for your children because the aspiration to be a cricketer can only turn into reality once everything is done in accordance.
You should carefully inspect in knowing the credibility of the coaches, if there are a lot of nets or if wickets are turf wickets or cement wickets along with the number of players going to the next level and the number of matches the academy has played. Also, the time should be prioritized as well because if the traveling time is more than the practice time, then it’s better off change as you may have studies or other responsibilities.
My suggestion to you would be to not sign up for an academy that may be referred or is offered on a discount; you need to consciously do some personal research in finding the best-suited academy to play at the next level.
Types of Academies
Let us now give you an understanding of the types of academies.
NCA (National Cricket Academy)
The National Cricket Academy is a cricket academy facility managed and owned by the BCCI, which is situated in Bengaluru near the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The NCA is basically for the players who are seen as having potential for the future. They come from the state cricket academies or school cricket academies in their respective age group tournaments.
The great Indian Batsman VVS Laxman is the director of the NCA, and it is also a rehabilitation centre for the injured players of the team India.
- Players like Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Rohit Sharma, and Zaheer Khan have all come through the NCA.
State Cricket Academies
State Cricket academies or the academies from your school or college will be the ones where you’ll be groomed. The state creates these cricket academies for age group coaching programs as well as different talent and developmental programs.
Some of the famous state cricket academies that we will talk about are Karnataka Institute of Cricket and Jaipur Cricket Academy, but there will be something for you based on your state.
Private Cricket Academies
Private cricket academies may be similar in nature compared to state-level academies or school academies but they are privately owned organizations, primarily by companies or by ex and current cricketers. Private Cricket Academies may specialize in their facilities or in specific departments and would be willing to offer more diverse programs in contrast to state-level programs, where they may be more keen on traditional methods.
We will be talking about various privately owned cricket academies by some of the ex-cricketers as we move forward.
Some of the best academies in India
Let us now go through some of the well-renowned academies throughout India.
Sehwag Cricket Academy
Located in Jhajjar
Established in 2011 by the great Virender Sehwag, the Sehwag Cricket Academy is by far one of the best academies out there in the entire country for its wide range of facilities along with various coaching sessions from international and Ranji trophy players as guest coaches. In recent times, among the private academies made by players, The Sehwag Cricket Academy is definitely one to be recommended.
- They host summer camps and junior cricket leagues and will very soon take their academy players to overseas camps as well.
- Frequent visits from Virender Sehwag and other players as guest coaches. Getting their personalized training.
- They prioritize holistic development programs for all age groups.
- They prioritize the mental wellness and physical conditioning of the players.
- They have regular match and player skill analysis in having proper scrutiny to make the best out of the players.
The annual fee for the SCA is 32,000 rupees.
Madan Lal Cricket Academy
Located in New Delhi as well as Noida and Uttarakhand, which has hostel facilities
The ex-Indian cricketer Madan Lal is the director of the academy, and it is by far one of the most talked about and renowned academies in India. The academy has a wide range of facilities with four turf and three cement wickets where the students are taken on three age group levels 9 to 12 years, 13 to 15 years, and 15 years and above. The academy provides 8 hours of training, which has four sessions of coaching during a week. The Madan Lal Cricket Academy has foreign coaches.
- The academy shows video analysis of the players over where they could improve.
- The academy has bowling machines for the batters to test their skill at any pace.
- There are also personalized one-to-one sessions for the players with sub-coaches under the main coach.
The yearly fee is around 30,000 rupees.
Vengsarkar Cricket Academy
Located in Mumbai
One of the most prominent cricket academies out there that has relevance outside of India, Dilip Vengsarkar launched the VCA back in 1994, and players like Yuvraj Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Manan Vohra have come out of the VCA. The academy is dedicated to bringing out the ultimate potential of young talents along with enhancing their other skills.
- VCA coaches and trains around 150 young guys aged 11 to 19, with a handful of them performing admirably in the academy’s domestic tournament, where they are promoted.
- The academy has well-rounded facilities with various types of turfs, technologies, and facilities for players to have overseas experience.
The annual fee is 28,000 rupees.
Karnataka Institute of Cricket
Located in Karnataka
Widely regarded as the best cricket academy in the country. If you believe you or your children are talented, then getting them admitted to the Karnataka Institute of Cricket is undoubtedly a wise choice. It is the only cricket academy in India that is open 365 days round, along with 15 hours a day functioning. Along with their highly established head coach, Irfan Sait, the KIOC has around 40 coaches to instruct the players to the next level.
- Six bowling machines and speed check radars for the batters and bowlers to understand their skills.
- Artificial turfs for the players to play under off seasons, especially when it rains.
- Players who want to play after sunset will have the facilities because of flood lights availability.
- The KIOC always has a physio-therapist in-house at all times to attend to the injuries of the players.
- Video analysis and digital equipment facilities for the players to see their lackings and improve.
- Fees for one session is 28,000 Rupees per year
- Fees for two sessions is 45,000 Rupees per year
- Fees for three sessions is 65,000 Rupees per year
Jaipur Cricket Academy
Located in Jaipur, Rajasthan
Established by the great Indian player Shamsher Singh in 2010, the Jaipur Cricket Academy fosters young talent to hone their skills and puts them in a state where they can go to the next level. They are one of the best academies, not just in Rajasthan but the whole of India. The academy holds various camps and one-to-one coaching facilities along with different experienced coaches from multiple specialties. Devendra Pal Singh and Mohammad Habib, the ex-Indian cricketers, are some of the coaches of Jaipur Cricket Academy.
- The academy provides cement turfs, bowling machines, and other facilities.
- The academy holds summer camps and various skill sessions with high-performance coaches.
- The Jaipur Cricket Academy organizes a number of district-level events to understand the players’ potential to let them play at state-level and zone-level cricket.
These are some of the well-renowned cricket academies where you can get admitted and enhance your skills so that you get to play at various age groups at the state level and zone level, which will lead you to play in the Ranji Trophy and many various national tournaments.
Academies like the Virat Kohli Academy, The RCA Academy, the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, the Dronacharya Cricket Foundation, and the MRF Pace Foundation are worth noting.
The Contribution of BCCI and State Cricket Associations on These Academies
The BCCI has made significant contributions to the development of the state-level crickets as the contributions are coming not just through funding but through things like Media Training, Infrastructure building, NCA development, JNCA development, Courses with Certifications, and more. Also, the states have been contributing to building up infrastructure by offering people hostel facilities, foreign coaches, scholarship opportunities, age-specific programs, talent hunting, and more.
To Conclude!
In the dynamic realm of Indian cricket academies, passion reigns supreme, akin to a profoundly ingrained religion. From the grandeur of the Chinnaswamy Stadium to the intimacy of private facilities, budding cricketers immerse themselves in environments where dreams are nurtured and talents refined. Central to these establishments are seasoned coaches, imparting not just technical prowess but invaluable life lessons garnered from their own illustrious careers. Icons like Gautam Gambhir, products of revered academies like LB Shastri Cricket Academy, inspire countless young aspirants to tread the path of success.
These academies, equipped with top-notch facilities, including cricket grounds with both cement and turf wickets, offer intensive coaching programs and summer camps aimed at holistic development. Led by former Indian cricketers, these institutions prioritize not just skill enhancement but also physical and mental well-being. Supported by cricket administrators at national and state levels, these academies serve as breeding grounds for the next generation of cricketing stars, ensuring the perpetuation of India’s cricketing legacy.
