Air India ground in Santacruz faces shutdown leaving budding city cricketers in limbo

The Air India ground in Santacruz, where some of Mumbai’s young Team India players, such as Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dubey, honed their skills is likely to be closed for budding cricketers.

The ground is inside a sports complex owned by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which was taken over last year by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL).

According to a report in Indian Express, MIAL, on Wednesday, warned of legal action if there was any activity at the venue where cricketers practice at around 60 nets.

In a letter to Air India regional director Ravi Bodhade, MIAL said: “Please note that land of sports complex has been demised by AAI to MIAL & we have taken over the possession of the same. No activity whatsoever is permitted to be undertaken on this land. Any force for attempt to use the land will lead to legal consequences as per rights of MIAL.”

The letter was also marked to Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone VIII “as a precautionary measure to avoid any Law & Order situation”.

Wasim Jaffer unhappy

“The ground has been a pipeline for future cricketers. Players like Prithvi Shaw and Yashasvi Jaiswal have come from that ground. If that ground can’t hold any activity, that pipeline will stop,” former India opener Wasim Jaffer said.

“There are 62 nets sessions that run daily here. At the same time, this complex also has shooting, table tennis, tennis and badminton facilities. This ground connects people from the western and central suburbs,” said former Air India pace bowler Ashutosh Dubey.

Perfect ground

“I have coaching centres at other places, too, but there are many whose lives are dependent on this ground. Many coaches earn from coaching here. It’s not only cricket but other sports too. It’s the only perfect ground in Mumbai’s suburbs,” said Jwala Singh, who runs MCC Cricket Academy at the ground where former Sri Lanka pacer Chaminda Vaas conducted a coaching clinic recently.

On Wednesday evening, several people gathered in protest as the complex was found locked, prompting the police to step in. “We called the police. They wanted to see the order which states that the common public cannot use it. The ground is used by so many sportspersons for their fitness routines. Earlier too, GVK, which was managing the Mumbai airport, had tried to lock the ground but we protested and the matter was sorted out,” said Prakash Shetty, a local resident.