Catering to East Delhi8217;s needs

8220;It was during the days that I was out of job that the idea of starting a coaching centre for youngsters came through. It took me a few months and the support of some friends and colleagues to begin one,8221; Chetan said. The academy is run jointly by Chetan and Sumeet Dogra, the Delhi all-rounder.

Presently, there are about 75-80 boys in the 10-15 age group. While the smaller age group boys are taken in straightaway, the elder ones have to attend trials to the satisfaction of the coaches before they are enrolled as trainees.

Most of the academy8217;s trainees are enrolled as members of some cricket club so that they get to play matches on a regular basis.8220;The best a coach can do for his trainee is to guide him properly in the initial stage so that the boy is well versed in the basics of the game. If we can achieve that, half our work is done,8221; Chetan said.

The junior trainees are given four days a week while the senior get six days a week to tone up their basic skills. Three turf and a concrete wicket are available at the venue. Several cricketers, including Vishal Singh Yadav,Jagjit Singh, Kapil Arora and D S Rana all stars in their own right in Delhi8217;s summer cricket frequent the academy to share ther experiences with the boys.