Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 4 (ANI): Rajasthan Royals has announced the launch of an academy in Maharashtra’s Pune district, expanding its footprint in the state of Maharashtra and thereby solidifying its commitment to nurturing young cricketing talent.
The inauguration took place at the Prakash Tingre Ground, Dhanori, on Wednesday and was led by Royals’ Global Head of Academy Coaching Siddhartha Lahiri, Rajasthan Royals’ Chief Business Officer Alok Chitre, Maharashtra Cricket Association COO Ajinkya Joshi, JusCricket Academy Mentor & Owner of MPL franchise Solapur Royals Kapil Baheti, and JusCricket Academy Director and former Royals’ player Parag More.
The facilities at the JusCricket Academy in Pune will become the newest addition to the growing Royals’ Academy ecosystem and will be rebranded as the Rajasthan Royals Academy, Pune. The launch on Tuesday saw Lahiri conduct a captivating coaches’ session that offered insights into the “Royals Way” of playing cricket. Coaches were also treated to a masterclass, learning about the behind-the-scenes work that goes on at the Royals, and how it can help fast-track the development of cricketing talent.
The newest addition to the Royals’ Academy ecosystem is equipped with a full-sized cricket ground, along with natural and Astroturf wickets, ensuring availability and access to the state-of-the-art cricketing facility for budding cricketers round the year. The RR Academy Pune will also aid in the development of local internal coaches already serving at the facility, and equip them with the right knowledge and skill-set that can be passed on to the kids. Given the franchise’s expertise in grooming talent and providing them with a platform to perform–of which Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag are recent examples–a major focus of the RR Academy Pune will be to inculcate the renowned Royals philosophy into the coaching techniques being imparted to the kids.
The talent enrolled at the RR Academy Pune will also have the opportunity to take part in RRA-organised tournaments around the world, get feedback from the Royals’ expert coaches and visit and get trained at the franchise’s High-Performance Centre in Nagpur.
Siddhartha Lahiri, Royals’ Global Head of Academy Coaching, emphasised the Rajasthan Royals’ unwavering commitment to grassroots cricket development, stating, “We are delighted to be expanding our presence in the state of Maharashtra with the launch of RR Academy Pune. Our objective through the academies is to create an ecosystem that promotes the accelerated development of the young talent that is present not just in Rajasthan but around the country. Through this association, we are looking forward to expanding the Royals coaching philosophy, which aids in the development of both the kids and the coaches.”
JusCricket Academy Director, Parag More, a former Rajasthan Royals and Maharashtra Ranji Trophy player, seized the opportunity to express his gratitude to everyone present at the event. He extended heartfelt appreciation to the Rajasthan Royals for placing their trust in his capabilities and pledging to uphold the highest standards of coaching and mentorship.
Ajinkya Joshi, Chief Operating Officer, Maharashtra Cricket Association, hailed the launch of the Rajasthan Royals Academy, Pune, as a significant boost to cricketing infrastructure in the region. He lauded the collaborative efforts of the Rajasthan Royals and JusCricket Academy, expressing confidence that their partnership would elevate the standard of cricket coaching and talent development in Pune. (ANI)
