Ganguly to start cricket academy

Sourav Ganguly: preparing for a new role © AFP

Sourav Ganguly is all set to start a cricket academy in Kolkata. Press Trust of India reports that Ganguly has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect with Videocon International Limited, who will sponsor the Rs 1 crore venture.

The Academy is to be called "Sourav Ganguly and Videocon School of Cricket", and will be located on a five-acre plot in Salt Lake City provided by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. While Videocon will provide the infrastructure, Ganguly will lead the team of experts who will run the show.

"We shall spare no effort to ensure that a truly world-class cricket school comes up here," said Ganguly. He indicated that while former Bengal players like Sanjay Das and his brother Snehashish Ganguly would be available in a teaching capacity, the chief coach would be someone with a good record in international cricket. "He may be a foreigner," Ganguly said, "or a famous Indian cricketer."

Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, was present to mark the signing of the MoU. "We are happy," he said, "at the spontaneity shown by the corporate house in supporting the project. Such an academy is needed to further improve the standard of cricket in Bengal."