BCCI desires to Set up National Academy at Dharamshala
Author(s): Arvind SharmaDharamshala, June 20, 2016: As the National cricket academy at Bangalore is seems to be less in space to meet the need of the hour, BCCI needs to set up the same in some other state. BCCI asked all the member bodies...
Dharamshala, June 20, 2016: As the National cricket academy at Bangalore is seems to be less in space to meet the need of the hour, BCCI needs to set up the same in some other state. BCCI asked all the member bodies to look in the space for NCA in their areas. Most of the cricketing officials in the country desire that it should be build up in or around Dharamshala, as the climate of the area is similar to most of the other top cricketing countries like Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and England.
“If our cricketers being brought up in this lovely environment, nobody could beat India easily in any format of the game”, said a top Cricket official of BCCI in Dharamshala.
On the other hand Anurag Thakur the Chief of BCCI said that the board has already requested the Congress lead Himachal Government to provide required land in or around Dharamshala, the city which is already a recognised international cricket centre.
“The Himachal Pradesh government is considering a request by the state's cricket association to be provided with a piece of land in Dharamshala to develop a national cricket academy,” said Urban development minister Sudhir Sharma who also represents Dharamshala in Vidhan Sabha.
“The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) made the proposal to develop the academy in Dharamshala, which is the only city well connected by rail road and air ways in the state”, said the minister. The minister added that Dharamshala is also chosen to be developed as smart city by the Government of India.
Headed by Anurag Thakur, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president as well as the BJP's Lok Sabha member, the HPCA wrote to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh last week requesting that 50,000 square meters of land be provided around Dharamshala town for the cricket academy.
"It will be an opportunity for the state to get a national academy. Since Anurag Thakur is heading the BCCI too, mobilisation of resources would not be a problem now. But the state has to take a call on allotting land to us at the earliest", HPCA Press Secretary Mohit Sood said.
HPCA Honorary Secretary Vishal Marwaha also wrote to the chief minister on August 18, 2015, that the BCCI is contemplating to shift the national cricket academy from Bengaluru to some other place in the country".
Sood said the HPCA has not yet received any commitment by the state government.
The HPCA is also playing host to a BCCI conclave at its showpiece stadium in Dharamshala from June 21 to 24.
The matter of choosing a place for NCA may also come up during the conclave, as the BCCI would hold its working committee meeting there.
The conclave includes a workshop for media managers of all state cricket associations, a meeting of Ranji captains and coaches, Indian Premium League (IPL) governing council meeting and BCCI working committee meeting.