NCA turns Centre of Excellence: 3 different natured pitches to help players prepare for challenges

Bengaluru: It took 24 years for the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to find a dwelling that suits its stature and growth, but the wait was worth it as the facility finally took a new avatar as the BCCI Centre of Excellence, a hub of ultra-modern features including three different kind pitches.

The Centre of Excellence, now operating closer to the international airport here, was inaugurated by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Saturday, and the most striking features were three international-quality grounds and 86 decks– prepared specifically to make players feel at home in any conditions at home or abroad.

The Ground A, the main ground, boasts an 85-yard boundary with 13 meticulously maintained Mumbai red-soil pitches that will offer a good amount of bounce.

It may be recalled that such a pitch was used in the first Test against Bangladesh recently at Chennai, where India won by a massive 280 runs. It might come handy in the near future when India travel to Australia, a home of bouncy tracks, in November for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Another unique feature of this ground is the Herringbone drainage system that allows uber quick evaporation of water in case of rain.

“It’s innovative subsurface drainage system ensures quick recovery after rainfall, minimizing disruptions and maintaining a consistent playing schedule,” said the project manager.

The ground also is equipped with floodlighting and state-of-the-art broadcasting facilities, if ever the venue is required to host a much high-profile match.

The Ground B and C serve as dedicated practice grounds with 75-yard boundaries, featuring 11 Mandya soil pitches and nine Black Cotton soil pitches from Kalahandi, Odisha, respectively.

“It is just about getting exposure to different kind of conditions. So that when they graduate to the national team, they are ready. It is not a surprise to them.

“I think the pitches here will allow them to improve their adaptability. And the three beautiful grounds will allow them to face any situation with a lot of confidence,” said VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence, while addressing a select media gathering.

Apart from those three grounds, the Comprehensive Practice Resources in the centre, sprawling over 40 acres, offers an impressive 45 outdoor net pitches for practice divided into nine clusters, separated by safety nets sourced from England.

The outdoor facility will also receive a dedicated fielding practice area and six outdoor running tracks with natural grass and Mondo synthetic surfaces.

The indoor practice facility is as impressive as the outdoor one. It gets eight pitches with premium English and Australian turfs and Australia.

The Sports Science & Medicine Block (SSM) is equipped with best-in-class equipment such as four athletic tracks, a physiotherapy rehab gym, sports science and medicine lab and recovery area and so on.

The BCCI secretary Jay Shah remarked that the facility will also be open to India’s Olympic athletes in future.