BCCI to restructure junior cricket training programme: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is working to overhaul the system of its grassroots and junior level training. The BCCI will also deviate from the conventional Zonal Cricket Academies format.

The board is in the process of overhauling its existing coaching curriculum, national daily Times of India has reported. The move to do away with the Zonal Cricket Academies is aimed at preparations for the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa next year.

The changed strategy will see Rahul Dravid coming on board as the Head Coach at BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. The BCCI will reportedly also hire an education head to train coaching and training faculty.

“The head (education) will deal with sports science and also update the coaches and trainers at NCA. This is a part of upgrading the coaching curriculum,” the paper has quoted a senior BCCI official as saying. The initial contract for the education head may be for six months on an experimental basis.

It was reported earlier that Dravid might be made in charge for reconstructing and monitoring of junior cricket structure in the county. Dravid is being tipped to be entrusted with the responsibility of setting up the academy’s entire coaching staff across the country.

Indian junior team coach Dravid had asked the BCCI to revise its coaching manual five years ago.

With regard to the Zonal Cricket Academies, the board has reportedly decided to divide the top 100 U-19 players into four elite squads of 25 each instead of a zonal representations. An additional plate squad has also been introduced to groom 25 Under-19 kids from the nine new States introduced in the Ranji Trophy. This has been done in consultation with Dravid and the junior selection committee.

Each elite squad will have 19 players who will be eligible for the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa in Jan-Feb next year. An inter-zonal tournament will be played among six teams – four will have players eligible for World Cup, the plate group and one with players who will be past 19 by the time the World Cup comes. “The selectors will come for the tournament and they will start with picking a team for the U-19 tour of England,” the paper has quote the official as saying.

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