BCCI-NCA Conducts Level 2 Courses For Retired Cricketers

The National Cricket Academy (NCA) in a first-of-its-kind initiative has conducted two fast track Level II courses for international cricketers and cricketers who have played over 75 first-class games.

The courses were conducted in a hybrid model, keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic situation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement. Phase 1 of the course was delivered online over four days, followed by Phase II, which was conducted at the NCA over four more days.

Some of the attendees included the likes of Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Abhinav Mukund, Ramesh Powar, Wasim Jaffer, Sarandeep Singh, Debashish Mohanty, Vinay Kumar, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Robin Uthappa.

A wide array of topics was covered, including skill acquisition, applied biomechanics in pace bowling, spin bowling, batting, wicket-keeping, building social and personal competence, video analysis etc.

"Experience gained through the rigours of playing first-class and international cricket coupled with knowledge of the technical and tactical intricacies of our game makes for a great combination for a coach. I believe we have some of the best coaching talents in the world and these courses conducted by the NCA will greatly benefit not only those that have participated in it but also the next generation of cricketers who will be coached by these coaches," said BCCI president Sourav Ganguly in the statement.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that the course was important to develop future coaches.

"The BCCI has always looked to support the growth and development of its coaches and these courses are a testament to that. It is heartening to see former and current cricketers taking up this opportunity to upskill themselves as coaches. The future of Indian Cricket continues to remain bright given the continued involvement and enthusiasm of some of our cricketers even post their playing careers," he said.