‘Center of Excellence’ at RCA: Ranji captain Pankaj Singh to train budding cricketers in Jaipur

Jaipur: Pankaj Singh, the captain of Rajasthan’s Ranji cricket team, will open a ‘center of excellence’ at Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) Academy to impart cricket training to children including those from modest background.

The Sport Council has entered into an agreement with Pankaj Singh’s company – PS Sports Agency – to open the center. As per the agreement, Pankaj Singh will be required to personally train budding cricketers at least 110 days in a year. Children from modest background will be imparted training for two hours daily.

Pankaj Singh told media persons that the center will be equipped with all the sophisticated facilities.

“I don’t want budding cricketers to face the same challenges as we did in our times,” said Singh.

The RCA Academy’s coach Manish Sharma currently trains 250 budding cricketers.

Once the center is functional, several coaches will be appointed to train children in batches of 20-25 and provide specialized training in various aspects of the sport.

The children will be trained on different types of pitches. Guest coaches will be invited to train the children from time to time.

The monthly fee for cricketing training at the academy is Rs 5,000 per month currently, but it will be increased.

Pankaj Singh said that the fee will have to be increased to provide training of international standards, but he assured that it wouldn’t be unaffordable.

The Sports Council has roped in a private agency for the first time.