A feature on National Cricket Academy at Nehru Stadium, Delhi

For Rakesh Dhru, who has come all the way from Jamnagar in Saurashtra for attending the three-month camp, the last three weeks at the National Cricket Academy at Nehru Stadium “has been a great experience”. “Neither do we have the time to discuss things other than the game, nor are we interested in such things,” he categorically states. And that is the general opinion of all the trainees here.

Dhru, who has already represented his state in under-19 and Ranji Trophy this season, was a member of the Junior World Cup squad that won the title in Colombo a few months ago. “I have gained in self-confidence and have improved my follow-through which is very essential for any bowler in order to get maximum results,” he adds. “There are no camps in our district prior to the season. This one is a boon for young cricketers,” he asserts.

And he is not the only one who is happy to make it to the camp. Almost all the boys say in chorus that it has taught them several things about the game which they were not aware of till then.

Bishan Bedi, for that matter, has been holding regular camps every summer. How different is this one?

“It is the attitude of the boys. Here, we have taken only those who have played the game at some level. They are keen to improve their game. There are no beginners as in our annual summer camps. It is mainly a camp for excellence where the boys are taught the game in the most scientific manner by those who have played the game at the highest level and those who have been involved with coaching for a number of years,” Bedi says.

The trainees are divided into three categories: Under-14 (Ranji and Duleep), Under-16 (Merchant) and Under-20 (C K Nayudu). Physical training is the most important aspect of the regimen of daily schedule which starts at 7.30 in the morning. Capt KB Dogra, a highly qualified and respected physical trainer, is in charge of this aspect. SAI coaches Arun Bhardwaj, Ramesh Chopra and Mohan Sharma, along with Balwant Singh, a former Delhi medium pacer now settled in Australia, assist Bedi.

One hour of physical training is followed by a session at the nets. Then follow the yoga classes and video viewing of MCC coaching manual cassettes. The videos are basically for the boys to rectify their weaknesses in the game. “It has been very informative,” assert the trainees.

India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi was at the camp for 10 days. “The trainees made the best use of his presence and thoroughly enjoyed his company at the nets,” adds Bedi. Murali Karthik and Nikhil Chopra also visited the camp before leaving for Pune to attend the national camp prior to the team selection for Asia Cup in Dhaka.

The presence of Yograj Singh has immensely reduced the burden on Bedi. The two former India bowlers compliment each other by attending to groups of trainees by turn. Yograj is happy to be here to help Bedi. “I admire Bedi Paahji for his dedication and commitment to the job. There are not many cricketers who work so hard themselves to give back to the game what they had learnt or gained from it. I myself have learnt so much about the art o coaching from him during this camp,” says Yograj, who has been running a cricket coaching centre in Chandigarh for almost two decades.

“What strikes me most in this camp is the attitude of the boys and the coaches. When a great cricketer like Bedi paahji spends six hours with the boys in this scorching heat, the trainees are only motivated and encouraged to give off their best. I have already noticed tremendous improvement in the endurance level of the boys in this short period. Physical conditioning is being given topmost priority here. It helps a player perform better and last longer at the highest level,” he stresses.

And the disciplinarian in Bedi seems to have rubbed on Yograj too as he shoos off a trainee from the nets for not coming in proper kit. “Don’t ever come near the ground if you are not wearing proper kit,” he tells the boy mildly.

In between the five-hour session, there are a couple of intervals to give the boys some breathing time in the heat. Cold drinks/lassi is served at regular intervals to save the boys from dehydration. And at the end of the session, the boys are served lunch and ice cream. The catering part is being taken care of by a few parents of trainees attending the camp. It is more like a family affair where the boys’ comforts are taken care of in the best possible manner. While the local boys return to their respective homes, `outsiders’ stay at the Nehru Stadium, dreaming of a `bright’ future.

Even as Bedi calls `pack off’ for the day, a small boy in the under-14 age group approaches the former India skipper and asks him politely, “Sir, can I bowl at the single wicket for 10 more minutes?” Is it not proof enough to suggest that the camp has been a roaring success already?