Ahmedabad, 08th June, 2026: In a significant step towards
strengthening grassroots cricket development in India, Spin & Swing Cricket
Academy has partnered with the Cheteshwar Arvindbhai Pujara Cricket Academy at
Taraghadi village near Rajkot to create structured cricket training
opportunities for talented children from farming and rural communities. The
initiative is being supported by agri-tech company SML through its CSR
programme, while ASK Foundation24 will lead grassroots community engagement and
outreach across villages.
The collaboration brings together four organisations with a
shared vision of creating meaningful sporting opportunities for young talent
who may otherwise lack access to professional cricket coaching and
infrastructure.
The Cheteshwar Arvindbhai Pujara Cricket Academy, founded by noted
former Indian cricketer Mr Cheteshwar Pujara and his father Mr. Arvindbhai
Pujara – to give back to the game by training underprivileged and talented
youth completely free of cost – has been nurturing young cricketers at its
facility in Taraghadi village on the outskirts of Rajkot over 10 years. Through
this new partnership, Spin & Swing Cricket Academy will now contribute its
professional coaching expertise, grassroots cricket development experience, and
structured training programmes to further strengthen the academy’s mission.
To mark the launch of the initiative, a special masterclass
session was organised at the Academy ground in Taraghadi village, where Mr Pujara
personally interacted with aspiring young cricketers from nearby villages and
farming communities. During the session, he shared valuable insights from his
cricketing journey, spoke about the importance of discipline, consistency, and
mental strength, and offered practical tips to help young players improve their
game. Encouraging the children to dream big, Pujara emphasised that every
student should train with the ultimate goal of one day representing India at
the highest level.
Spin & Swing Cricket Academy has recently launched
similar grassroots cricket development initiatives in Pune and Mumbai and is
now actively working towards expanding the programme across multiple locations
in India in the coming phases.
The initiative is focused on identifying promising young
cricketers from farming families and underserved rural communities and
supporting them with professional coaching, mentorship, access to cricketing
equipment, and quality infrastructure. SML, as part of its CSR commitment
towards community development, is providing financial support to help deserving
children receive professional cricket training and long-term development
opportunities.
ASK Foundation24 is playing a critical role in connecting
with farming communities and villages at the grassroots level to identify
deserving talent and encourage wider participation among children with sporting
potential.
Speaking about the collaboration, Mr. Anand Yalvigi,
Founder & CEO of Spin & Swing Cricket Academy, said, “This partnership
reflects our vision of making quality cricket training accessible to talented
children irrespective of their background. We are delighted to collaborate with
the Cheteshwar Arvindbhai Pujara Cricket Academy, which already has a strong
foundation and commitment towards nurturing young cricketers. With the support
of SML and ASK Foundation24, we aim to build a sustainable grassroots cricket
ecosystem that creates genuine opportunities for rural talent.”
Mr. Bimal Shah, MD of SML, said, “At SML, we believe that talent exists in
every corner of the country, but opportunities often do not. Through our CSR
initiative, we are proud to support a programme that empowers children of
farmers and rural communities by giving them access to professional cricket
training and mentorship. After the successful launches of Pune & Mumbai
Cricket Academy, Rajkot cricket academy is yet another mission to the cause. With
Cheteshwar Pujara at the helm, we are confident his guidance will inspire
discipline, resilience, and excellence — nurturing young talent into future
champions We would continue to scout for more opportunities across the nation.”
Ms. Avani Shantanu Agasti, Founder of ASK Foundation24, said, “Sports has the
power to transform lives and build confidence among children at a very young
age. Through this initiative, we are committed to engaging with farming
communities at the grassroots level and ensuring deserving children receive the
opportunity, encouragement, and exposure needed to pursue their dreams.”
Sharing his thoughts on the initiative, Mr Cheteshwar
Pujara said, “Grassroots cricket development is extremely important for the
future of Indian cricket. I am happy to see organisations coming together with
a common purpose of supporting talented young players from rural backgrounds.
Cricket teaches discipline, resilience, and character, and I hope this
initiative inspires many young cricketers to pursue the sport with dedication.”
Located in a peaceful environment away from the city, the
Cheteshwar Arvindbhai Pujara Cricket Academy offers modern cricketing
infrastructure including professionally maintained turf wickets, practice nets,
bowling machines, specialised training equipment, and a high-quality outfield
designed to support competitive cricket training.
The Rajkot initiative marks another milestone in Spin &
Swing Cricket Academy’s broader vision of building a nationwide grassroots
cricket network, with similar programmes planned across several regions in
India in the near future.
