BCCI opens state-of-the-art Center of Excellence in Bengaluru

Sixteen years after acquiring land from the Karnataka government to expand their cricket infrastructure, the BCCI on Friday launched its new state-of-the-art National Cricket Academy, to be known as the ‘Centre of Excellence’, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. .

The facility, which occupies a 40-acre campus, has three grounds, built according to ICC rules to host first-class cricket, an indoor facility that includes surfaces imported from the UK and Australia apart from local surfaces – red and black clay – and a large outdoor nets area. with 45 fields. There is also a separate area designated to house BCCI’s Sports Science and Medicine Block and sleeping quarters.

Fields B and C will serve as dedicated practice grounds, consisting of blackfields brought to the area from southern Karnataka and Odisha. The center also has an indoor and outdoor athletic field, apart from swimming and recovery areas, which will also be available to athletes from other disciplines. Seven hectares of land have been set aside for future expansion.

“I think the beneficiaries will not only be the future generation of cricketers but also the current generation of cricketers,” said Laxman while speaking to the media on Saturday. “Since I joined the NCA in December 2021, all cricketers come here, not only for conditioning. Obviously there is a misconception that cricketers come only for conditioning. But they come to NCA to develop skills, prepare themselves for the challenges during the different series they will participate in .

“I am sure that all the players who come to this institute, all the players who will be part of this program will strive to achieve success, they will strive to be the best. And further, the Indian cricket team as a whole. The formats will probably be the best in the world.”

For too long, the BCCI has envisioned a center of excellence like the ECB center in Loughborough or the Cricket Australia center in Brisbane. The site it was built on had to overcome several legal hurdles, which once had the BCCI considering whether it would be possible to move it outside the city. The project finally received approval in late 2020, with work starting in early 2022 after delays forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The goal is for it to be completed in 15 months. I was skeptical, but the way the work has progressed since the construction started has been very good,” said Laxman. “I have been to some of the best academies in the world, not only for cricket, but also for other sports. But I have never seen this kind of institution.”

On the promotion of NCA, Laxman outlined several aspects of their operations that could be improved once the facility is fully operational. “The programs we run, because of the way the programs work, all those who do well from yours under 15 years for women and under 16 years for boys are selected by national selectors and from April, in the off season, until September, we have different programs,” he said. .

“We have held about 32 camps during this period for boys and girls, but usually these are held in different parts of the country. And through KSCA, we get the basis to have more of these camps. Although here we have three reasons, think that we can have many other programs and these reasons can be used to there was India A series, which can be played in these places here.

“The important thing is that there are three different types of soil, what we want is for the players to know how to adapt to the different conditions. experience and exposure to playing on different soils and different types of pitches, you know, that will improve their performance.”