Waugh keen to set up cricket city in Mumbai

Steve Waugh received a positive response from the government officials for setting up a cricketing township © Getty Images Enlarge

Steve Waugh, the former Australian captain, has proposed a township and a cricket city in or around Mumbai with investments by Macquarie Bank in Australia, for which Waugh is the brand ambassador. Waugh met Vilasrao Deshmukh, the chief minister of Maharashtra, and other government officials for discussions.

"The response from the chief minister was welcoming," Waugh was quoted as saying in The Times of India. "The areas we are looking at are real estate, property development and infrastructure. I am visiting other states in India in the next few days."

The proposed township would require approximately 100 to 150 acres of land, which will include coaching and training facilities, large fields and a residential wing for trainees. Deshmukh appointed an industry secretary as the nodal agency for the proposal but the exact amount of investment wasn't yet known.

"Waugh and the executive director of the bank, Tony Fehon, seemed more interested in setting up townships and a cricket city," said a government official. "We think they are more keen on areas around Mumbai and Pune since these places are well connected by roads. The bank seems to be keen to use his goodwill in the Indian market, more so since he is popular in India."

Waugh, who has also been involved with a charity home for children of leprosy in Kolkata, had earlier proposed a similar cricket centre in the city.