Rayudu, Sunitha and Sheshnarayan inspect facilities at VJR ground in Karimnagar

Ambati Rayudu, former India cricketer and head of the Cricket Operations Committee, Hyderabad Cricket Association, along with T Sheshnarayan, chairman of the District Cricket Infrastructure Development Committee and former HCA secretary, and Sunitha Anand, head of Women’s Cricket Development, HCA, visited the Velchala Jagapathi Rao Memorial Cricket Ground & Academy at Alugunur, Karimnagar, on Sunday.

V Agam Rao, president, Karimnagar District Cricket Association, welcomed the HCA delegation and briefed them about the development of the VJR Memorial Cricket Ground & Academy, the cricketing infrastructure already created, the turf wickets, practice nets and various initiatives being undertaken by KDCA for the development of cricket in the district. He informed the delegation that KDCA was prepared to provide additional facilities required for the proposed academy in accordance with HCA’s recommendations.

The HCA delegation inspected the ground, turf pitches, practice nets and other cricketing infrastructure and discussed with KDCA representatives the possibility of establishing an HCA Cricket Academy at Karimnagar.

Rayudu impressed with facilities

Ambati Rayudu expressed his happiness and appreciation at the high standard of the ground, turf pitches and practice nets developed at the VJR Memorial Cricket Ground & Academy. He appreciated KDCA’s efforts in creating quality cricket infrastructure at the district level.

Rayudu observed that the ground is of a standard suitable for hosting BCCI-level tournaments as well as TG20 League matches. He said that with further augmentation of the required facilities, Karimnagar could emerge as an important venue for high-level competitive cricket.

He also assured that HCA would plan to regularly conduct its league matches at the VJR Memorial Cricket Ground in Karimnagar, providing greater exposure and competitive cricket opportunities in the districts.

Developing infrastructure top priority: Shesh

T Sheshnarayan said that development of cricket infrastructure at the district level is among the top priorities of the SMC, the District Cricket Infrastructure Development Committee and the COC. Expressing satisfaction with the facilities at VJR Memorial Cricket Ground, he also observed that the ground is ready to host BCCI-level matches.

Sunitha Anand and Ambati Rayudu interact with cricketers in Karimnagar even as V Agam Rao looks on

He further stated that HCA would extend all possible support and provide the required infrastructure for establishing a high-standard cricket academy at Karimnagar very soon, which would help create a structured training and development pathway for talented cricketers from the region.

Sunitha and Rayudu interact with cricketers

During the visit, Ambati Rayudu interacted with KDCA Under-16 boys and more than 40 women cricketers who attended the HCA Women’s Open Selection Trials conducted at the VJR Memorial Cricket Ground & Academy.

Rayudu encouraged the players to make the best use of the opportunities being created by HCA and KDCA, remain disciplined in their training and work consistently towards progressing to higher levels of cricket. His interaction with the young boys and aspiring women cricketers was one of the highlights of the visit.

Sunitha Anand also interacted with the women cricketers and reviewed the facilities and opportunities available for the development of women’s cricket. She discussed the requirements for creating greater training and competitive opportunities for women cricketers from Karimnagar and other districts.

The proposed HCA Cricket Academy at Karimnagar is envisaged to provide structured coaching, quality training facilities and player-development opportunities for boys, girls, men and women cricketers from Karimnagar and the surrounding districts of North Telangana.

At the conclusion of the visit, V Agam Rao, along with members of the KDCA Executive Committee, felicitated Ambati Rayudu, T Sheshnarayan, Sunitha Anand, HCA members Chekuri Venkateswara Rao, Venkat Reddy and Mahender Goud, TG20 head of cricket operations Bharani, Nishanth Rao of HCA, and Ramesh Reddy, chairman of Chaitanya Institutions.