Now, an FCA boost for budding Indian cricketers

HYDERABAD: Former Test cricketer Arshad Ayub launched the Federation of Cricket Academies (FCA) here on Monday aimed at bringing all the cricket academies under one apex body and also ensuring uniformity in coaching pattern and playing conditions.

Arshad said the objective of forming the FCA was to ensure that genuine performers in the leagues did not suffer for want of fair selection. He also made it clear that this was not a parallel set up to the HCA.

He said the FCA would also organise league tournaments for under-14 (20 teams) and under-16 (16 teams) to start with from this weekend to give a platform for the young talent. “We will take care that it will not clash with the official HCA league,” he pointed out.

What if the HCA bars players from taking part in the age group tournaments of FCA? “I don’t think that will happen. We are in no way trying to usurp the rights of HCA. We are only aiming at being feeder centres for the association as part of intense desire to arrest the declining standards of the game,” Arshad said, adding, “These tournaments are being held during summer and not during the season.”

Arshad said he was confident that the HCA top brass would understand the sincerity and the commitment behind this novel concept. “I don’t think we need permission to host these leagues. We are interested in the game and also plan to take the best talent in different age groups on foreign trips,” he pointed out. HCA vice-president S.L. Venkatapathi Raju is the vice-president of FCA by virtue of running his own academy while John Manoj of St. John’s Coaching Foundation, the secretary.