Cricket stars Raina, Ojha inaugurate MGM cricket academy in Odisha

Suranjan Mishra Published On : Feb 15, 2023 at 8:27 PM

Cuttack: A cricket academy was inaugurated today by former Team India captain Suresh Raina in the presence of Pragyan Ojha at Kapursingh locality of Athagarh subdivision in Cuttack district. The cricket facility is being promoted by MGM School of Sports.

The newly-built academy has a hard and flat pitch including a good outfield, a source said.

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“The cricket facility will help provide ample opportunities to budding cricketers of Odisha through regular practice and, in turn, they will be able to represent the State,” Raina expressed.

“We need to win Ranji Trophy matches, so that, cricketers from Odisha will get a chance to play for the national team,” Ojha opined replying to a query from mediapersons pertaining to the issue.

Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has plans to organise private as well as national level matches at the MGM Cricket Academy in the future, said OCA secretary Sanjay Kumar Behera.

It is pertinent to mention, OCA has the vision to pick budding cricketers from across the State by 2024. OCA has constructed turf pitches in at least 20 districts in conformity with new blueprint. Few more turf pitches are to come up in the remaining districts.

Similarly, as many as 35 cricket academies will soon be inaugurated in the 30 districts. Aspiring cricketers will get training on cricket at their home district without coming to the State Capital.