Okay, so I gotta tell you about that time I dug into why Sharad Pawar’s indoor cricket setup keeps attracting big-league players. Started simple – just showed up early one Tuesday, no call ahead. Walked right into that echoey hall smelling like rubber mats and sweat.
The First Eye-Opener
Sat my butt on those cold bleachers watching Under-19 kids train. Noticed coaches weren’t just yelling drills. Saw one fella crouching behind a net, recording a kid’s footwork on his iPad. Later, he played it back slow-mo while poking at the screen – “See how your back heel lifts here? Ground it.” Player nodded like he’d been shown magic. Never seen real-time fixes like that at local clubs.
Got curious. Cornered the head coach during chai break. Asked straight up: “Why’re your nets spaced so damn close?” He grinned. “Creates pressure,” he said, slurping his tea. “Mimics stadium intensity when fielders crowd you. Ball zips faster off mats too – forces quick reactions.” Made me realize amateur academies just copy outdoor dimensions. These guys engineer discomfort.
The Tech Stuff
Next visit, I begged a look at their video room. Expected some projector slapped on a wall. Nah. Whole wall’s a touch screen. Swiped through footage showing Kohli’s 2018 cover drives vs some academy kid’s replay side-by-side. Could toggle angles – high cam, behind bowler, you name it. Coach said they tag every session: “We track how many times Ranjit gets beaten outside off weekly. If it spikes? We know exactly when his technique cracks.”
- Temperature control – always 24°C so muscles stay warm
- Pitch simulators – dial in Gabba bounce or Chennai dustbowl
- Recovery ice baths RIGHT there next to nets
No “wait till tomorrow” crap. Fix it now.
The Human Glue
But here’s what sold me – happened last month. Saw this spinner looking miserable near the vending machine. Leg wrapped tight. Overheard coaches discussing his rehab. Instead of rushing him back? They pulled out a tablet showing motion capture of his bowling action pre-injury. “Your hip rotation’s compensating,” they said. Built new drills around protecting that joint while rebuilding strength. Guy’s eyes lit up like they’d handed him a lifeline. Professional support without premier-league price tags.
Final piece clicked watching a 14-year-old girl face thunderbolts from their bowling machine. Screeching noise cranked to mimic Aussie crowds. She flinched first three balls. Coach whispered something. Suddenly she’s laughing. Smashed the next one into the nets. Later I asked what he’d said. “Told her Sachin hated that noise too. Made him angry. Be angry.” They’re not just building cricketers. They’re crafting tough-minded warriors who thrive in chaos.
Walked out thinking: it ain’t flashy gear alone. It’s solving problems before players even know they exist. That’s how you build pros.
