Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah revealed about the development programs in the northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir. He said academies will soon open in those states.
India has huge popularity of cricket in almost every state of the nation. The players from each state are working hard and are giving everything to reach the big stages in IPL as well as international cricket.
However, there have been some states where the structure of cricket has not been great and the boards have not shown much interest either. This has been one of the main reasons why players from these states don’t take long and have to take a step back.
Between those northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir lie the two. Some players from states have reached a high level, potentially showing the type of talent that players from those states possess. However, the BCCI has taken steps to improve cricket in those states.
Jay Shah revealed that academies in the northeastern states will open in August 2024 and have started work in Jammu and Kashmir. He added that they will also inaugurate a new NCA in Bengaluru. Speaking on the sidelines of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction, he explained:
“The academies in the northeastern states will be ready soon, probably in August. By mid-August, we will see the opening of academies in the North East and the new NCA in Bengaluru. And the work on the Jammu & Kashmir academy has begun.”
Jay Shah also stated that the Bengaluru NCA will have a high-quality centre. “It will be as good as Cricket Australia’s High Performance Center in Brisbane,” he stated, quoted by Cricbuzz.
We have given the extension but are yet to finalize the contract: Jay Shah on Rahul Dravid-led coaching staff
Jay Shah also spoke about the future of the coaching staff led by Rahul Dravid. He admitted that they have been given an extension but have not yet signed the contract. He added that they will decide everything once the team returns from South Africa. He added:
“We didn’t have time for anything, they finished (with the World Cup), I had a meeting with them and we mutually agreed that they are going to continue. We will sit down and decide once they return from South Africa. “We have given the extension but we still have to finalize the contract.”
Rahul Dravid’s contract as head coach ended after the ICC World Cup 2023. However, he will coach the team in the upcoming tour of South Africa where India will play 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Tests.