Will CAL be able to rein in cricket academies?
LUCKNOW: Cricket academies as well as a few training centres and clubs have allegedly hijacked the selection process of junior cricket in Lucknow.
City players alleged these centres/academies promise selection in the district probables and charge a hefty amount in the name of coaching/training and push a few cases to statelevel offering new ‘package deal’.
Officials of the Cricket Association Lucknow (CAL) said they were aware of the menace and added the cricketing body had imposed a ban on the participation of outsiders in local cricket.
“It is true that if you don’t belong to any academy, training centre or a reputed club, you don’t have a chance for selection as there is pressure of academy owners on selectors,” said a player Sanjay, who recently migrated to Delhi after quitting Lucknow.
Even before appearing in age group trials at the district level, Sanjay was questioned as to which academy/centre he belonged. He was allowed to play only a few balls before being removed from the net as he didn’t have support from any academy/centre.
HEFTY CHARGES!
As per an estimate, there are 3,000 cricketers of all age group playing for or registered with 40-50 academies. An amount of Rs 700-2,000 is charged every month from one player.
Parents have to shell out additional amount if they want ‘extra coaching’ for their children.
“It’s a routine process at many academies. They collect huge money in the name of domestic and foreign trips,” said Mohd Sadiq, father of a player.
“I had to pay Rs 17,000 for a three-day Mumbai tour for my son two years back by an academy which is illegally running at Chowk stadium,” he said.
Sadiq alleged that the academy which was being patronised by some politicians, charged hefty amount when his son was chosen to play against a visiting foreign team in Lucknow recently.
“Besides the regular fee, parents are being charged extra money for special series, tournaments etc.,” he added.
A few players also accused famous cricket academy in Gomti Nagar of minting money in the name of tours and exposure trips.
OUTSIDERS!
Cricketers from cities other than Lucknow are the best targets for these academies. Some of them even do not have proper nets or ground for practice but are running cricket hostels charging up to Rs 2 lakh per year.
Most of the cricketers come from places like Azamgarh, Sitapur, Faizabad, Unnao and Fatehpur where facilities are missing.
“Every cricketer wants to play the Indian Premier League and their parents don’t mind spending money. We get offers of big money from parents even at the time of admission as they all want their child to play IPL,” the secretary of an academy said on condition of anonymity.
CAL’S MOVE
Though chief executive officer of the Cricket Association Lucknow (CAL) said he was aware of mushrooming cricket academies and training centres in the city, there was no definite plan to curb the menace as of now.
“As part of CAL’s reform measure, we have imposed a ban on the participation of outsiders in local cricket.”
“It’s strange that clubs/academies get only 15-20 players registered but allow 30 cricketers, mostly outsiders, to play in local cricket. It will no longer be possible for them to do so from the next season. We have decided to issue identity cards to every player which will be checked by the umpires/scorers before the match,” said Bambi.
“Participation of outsiders in local cricket is a big jolt to our own talent. This move will also help curtail illegal functioning of many academies and clubs in the city,” he added.