Royals Sports Group-owned IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, renowned for its commitment to nurturing young cricketing talent, today inaugurated their first-ever cricket academy in the state of Rajasthan, which will be based at the PS Sports Excellence Arena, Ring Road, Muhana in Jaipur. In collaboration with the PS Sports Agency in Jaipur, the Rajasthan Royals Academy, Jaipur is set to promote cricket development within the state, enabling the talented male and female cricketers to learn to play the sport the Royals Way. The inaugural champions had announced its plans to come up with an Academy in Jaipur in October 2023, and on Saturday inaugurated the facility. The newly set-up Academy boasts of impressive infrastructure with the presence of two match playing grounds and 15 training strips with Natural Turf, AstroTurf, Matting, and Kota stone wickets. The facility also has a residential setup that can accommodate up to 30 players, proving to serve as a convenient set-up for the young players to focus on training.
The inauguration event saw the presence of Rajasthan Royals’ fiery pacer Nandre Burger, Rajasthan Royals’ Chief Executive Officer Jake Lush McCrum, and Rajasthan Royals’ Support Coach and Head of Academy Coaching Siddhartha Lahiri, who was also seen conducting an in-service training session with the highly qualified coaches of the academy. Former Royals’ player and member of the 2008 IPL-winning squad Pankaj Singh, Alka Singh (Founder and Director of PS Sports), Rahul Kawat (Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee and Ex-Ranji Captain), and Aniket Choudhary (Rajasthan Vice Captain) were also among the guests present at the inauguration ceremony. The franchise also announced a T20 focused 2-week Masterclass Cricket Camp for young kids who have enrolled for the Academy, which starts from Tuesday, 23rd of April, and will include a masterclass from Siddhartha Lahiri as well as a skill feedback session from Royals’ Assistant Coaches Trevor Penny and Shane Bond on the 24th of April. The RRA Jaipur aims to inculcate the Royals’ philosophy of coaching through masterclasses and coach’s in-service training session, equipping the coaches at the academy with the right knowledge and skill set to produce the next generation of cricketing talent that can represent both the Rajasthan state and India in the future. The Academy will provide a comprehensive coaching curriculum which encompasses structured coaching methods and facilities to aspiring male and female cricketers of all age groups. As is the case with all other academies affiliated with the Royals, young cricketers enrolled at the RRA Jaipur will have the opportunity to take part in RRA-organised tournaments around the world, get feedback from the Royals’ expert coaches through masterclasses and camps, and visit the franchise’s High-Performance Center in Nagpur (India).
Over the years, the franchise has demonstrated a strong commitment to grassroots cricket development in the state of Rajasthan, having initiated various programs and tournaments aimed at promoting the sport and unearthing talent. These initiatives include the Royal Sparks and Colts Program, which was a comprehensive talent scouting program designed to identify and nurture young cricketers across Rajasthan, and provide aspiring players with access to expert coaching and top-notch year-round support. The Rajasthan Royals Cricket Cup has also been played across both genders and various age groups in the state, with the latest edition being played by more than 700 U19 girls hailing from 50+ schools spread across eight districts in September-October 2023. The Royals have also actively engaged with local talent through the biggest cricket reality show Cricket Ka Ticket – the winner of which Aditi Chauhan also hailed from Rajasthan. Jake Lush McCrum, Chief Executive Officer, Rajasthan Royals, expressed his excitement on the inauguration, “The launch of our first academy in Rajasthan is a significant step for us as we look to further support the development of grassroots cricket in the state.
Siddhartha Lahiri, the Head of Academy Coaching at the Royals, added, “This is just another step in our journey of identifying talent at the grassroots level and providing them with the right guidance and expertise. Former Royals’ player Pankaj Singh also commented on the occasion, “It’s a fantastic initiative by the Royals to develop the grassroots ecosystem in Rajasthan. We have seen over the years that the franchise has focused on giving young talent an opportunity to play at the highest level.