Want to fulfill long pending dream with academy: Souvik Das

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: To produce quality cricketers for the State as well as for the nation is a long pending dream for Souvik Das. The level 'B' coach of NCA is now marching toward to fulfill his dream. The former state cricketer is all set to start an ultramodern cricket academy in the city and it will kick off immediately once the lockdown is over and situation becomes normal. In a conversation with The Sentinel Souvik shared his plan related to his propose cricket academy. Here is the excerpt.

The Sentinel: How it comes in your mind to start a cricket academy !

Souvik: Actually it was my long dream. Cricket has given me an identity and it will be great if I can contribute a little towards this game. We have a plot at Jyotikuchi and had planned to set up a modern cricket academy there. There is necessity too as the number of academies is not sufficient in comparison to the number of young cricketers in Guwahati at present. I and former cricketer cum curator Mukut Kalita, who is also associated with this project, have been working hard for the last couple of years to set up the project and it look like that the plan is going to be materialized very soon.

TS: What was the present status of proposed cricket academy?

Souvik: The set up is almost ready for use and it would be inaugurated once the lockdown is over.

TS: Highlight a little about the facilities of the proposed academy.

Souvik: The name of the academy will be 'We are Northeast-The cricket Centre". There will be three concrete and five turf wickets along with three artificial wickets. There will have indoor practice facilities too. We are trying to provide all modern facilities including bowling machine to the players.

TS: How do you manage funds for this project?

Souvik: I am associated with the state team as a coach for a long period and the remuneration I have earned from it kept separately. That fund played a big role to create the infrastructure.

TS: What about the selection of players and coaches for the academy.

Souvik: We are planning to select players between 8-16 years for the academy. In the coaching department I will be one of the members and will recruit a few State coaches who are NCA certified. Initially we have decided to accommodate around 100 players and professional cricketers can too use our infrastructure.