Cheteshwar Pujara Academy Partners Spin & Swing to Boost Rural Cricket Talent in Rajkot

Rajkot | Gujarat — 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.”

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.”

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.