Dravid presents NCA roadmap, age group programme before Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid go back a long way, from making their Test debuts together at Lord’s on the England tour of 1996 to leaving an indelible imprint in the game to serving as India players under each other’s captaincy. Another chapter was added to their cricket bond on Wednesday as Rahul Dravid gave a detailed presentation as National Cricket Academy (NCA) Director with Sourav Ganguly in attendance as the new BCCI president in Bengaluru.

Dravid’s presentation focused on the current age-group programmes, rehabilitation facilities and a roadmap for junior cricket in the country. Ganguly reached the NCA facility early in the day accompanied by all other BCCI office-bearers. “President Ganguly was all ears while Dravid gave the presentation,” Jayesh George, BCCI joint secretary, said.

Indian cricket expects big things from Dravid and Ganguly as they are tasked with turning around NCA from its current state as essentially a rehab centre into a centre of excellence as it was originally planned when set up two decades ago. “If there is a sudden need for a Mohammed Shami, for example, to use the NCA facilities for rehab, he will be struggling. That is because whether you want to jog or run or train or bat or bowl or swim, you need to take the permission of the KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association). They might be having an age-group camp in progress; members also use the swimming pool, so timings have to be worked around it,” a source close to the developments said.

The BCCI has now acquired 40 acres close to the Bengaluru international airport where steps will be taken soon to create a state of the art NCA facility.

MASAKADZA TO HEAD

have appointed recently retired former captain Hamilton Masakadza as their new Director of Cricket, a new all-powerful role aimed at improving the way the organisation develops the game.