Bengaluru: They have inspired generations of cricketers not just in India but across the world and soon, they will motivate youngsters to aim higher in cricket. A cricket academy named after the legendary GR Vishwanath and Sunil Gavaskar will get underway soon at the Sai Krishnan Stadium in Sathya Sai Gram, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur district.
Announcing this Monday, Madhusudan Sai, founder, Madhusudan Sai Global Humanitarian Mission, said, “Vishwanathji said he’ll come over to the campus and help train the next generation in cricket and that would be his seva (service). I am proud to announce that 30 players will be taken in the first batch.”
On the future plans, he stated, “It’s a free-of-cost academy and the admissions will be thrown open later this month and anyone can apply for it. We will provide free education and nutrition to the selected players. For now, it’s a boys’ academy. But when we are in a better position where we can handle both boys and girls, we will open an academy for girls.”
India vs Sri Lanka contest
Past masters from India and Sri Lanka will face off at the Muddenahalli facility in a T20 match. While celebrating the cultural, historical, and spiritual ties between the countries, the match, to be played on Feb 8, will offer many rural youngsters an opportunity to watch cricket live at a stadium near them.
The match will see the likes of Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Sujith Somasunder, Abhimanyu Mithun, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan represent India, while Ajanta Mendis and Chaminda Vaas are among those from Sri Lanka.
Speaking about cricket bringing people together, Vishwanath said, “Whatever little I have achieved in life is entirely because I played cricket. I feel it is my duty and responsibility to therefore fall back on cricket to extend the concept of a united family. Because, ultimately, however different and diverse we might be and however culturally aligned we might be, we are all one big family. Cricket in India is in the privileged position of shaping attitudes and influencing mindsets and thinking.”