The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has quietly inaugurated the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Saturday. The image of the academy has been circulated on social media. This world-class facility, the result of the vision of Jay Shah, the secretary of the organisation, to nurture the future of cricket, will now be called the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
Everything you need to know about new National Cricket Academy
Spanning over 40 acres, this state-of-the-art facility is set to become a hub for nurturing cricket talent and advancing sports science in India. According to a press release from the BCCI, the Centre of Excellence features three cricket grounds and 86 pitches, including both indoor and outdoor training areas.
An innovative subsurface drainage system ensures that the grounds recover quickly from rain, minimizing disruptions and keeping the playing schedule consistent.
The Centre boasts an impressive array of practice facilities, including 45 outdoor net pitches organized into nine clusters featuring various soil types, such as Mumbai red soil, Mandya soil, and Kalahandi black cotton soil, all separated by safety nets imported from the UK.
Adjacent to the nets is a specialized fielding practice area and six outdoor running tracks made of natural grass and Mondo synthetic surfaces. An indoor practice facility offers eight high-quality pitches with turf from the UK and Australia, along with an 80-meter common run-up area.
The Sports Science & Medicine (SSM) Block spans 16,000 square feet and features a cutting-edge gym equipped with top-of-the-line equipment. It includes four athletic tracks with high-quality Mondo rubber flooring. The block also contains a physiotherapy rehab gym, a sports science and medicine lab with the latest technology, and recovery areas.
This Centre of Excellence promises to be a game-changer for cricket in India, providing athletes with world-class facilities and resources to hone their skills and advance their careers.
