INTRODUCTION / ACHIEVEMENT

After forty years of dedicated hard work, self-discipline, and encouraging results, Surana Cricket Academy is now celebrating its **40th year** of existence in 2025.

The inadequate training and coaching facilities at the grassroots level in the state had prompted the birth of this academy. Since its inception, it has been picking up and training potential youths and talents in the field of cricket. With the support of sports lovers, the academy started functioning on 24th August 1985 for the cause of Cricket.

Notable Mentors and Visitors

In the recent past, the Academy has been visited by cricket stars like Shri Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Madan Lal, Sandeep Patil, Roger Binny, M.A.K. Pataudi, Ashok Mankad, Raj Singh Dungarpur, Narendra Hirwani, Syed Kirmani, Abbas Ali Baig, Chetan Chauhan, Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Praveen Amre, and also members of the South-African and Indian veteran cricket teams. The academy has also been visited by cricket coaches like Desh Prem Azad, Gursharan Singh, and Tarak Sinha.

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Our Team's Achievements

Our cricket team started playing the ‘C’ league and were champions in the very first year. The academy was quickly promoted to the ‘B’ division and, on being its winner in the very first year, was promoted to the ‘A’ division, which it also won in the first year. Our team has participated in almost every tournament organized in the state and has also played in tournaments outside the state.

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Our Rising Stars

The year 1997-98 has been a very successful year for the academy as far as results are concerned. Mr. Gagan Khoda was selected for the Indian team for the Independence Cup and then for the Indian team's tour of Srilanka. He was also made captain for the India ‘A’ team to tour Pakistan. Another landmark for the Cricket Academy was the selection of Mr. Anshu Jain in the Indian Junior Team who played against Srilanka. Two of our players, namely Anshu Jain and Jai Kumar, made their Ranji Trophy debut this year for Rajasthan. Krishna Punia and Ankush Singh represented the state team in under 19 and under 16 levels respectively.

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Our Ranji Trophy Players

• Gagan Khoda
• Rahul Kanwat
• Shamsher Singh
• Sudhir Sharma
• Harish Joshi
• Ravi Chouhan
• Vikas Purohit
• Parminder Singh
• Virender Sharma
• Sanjay Jakhad
• Anand Shandilya
• Mahipal Lomror
• Shubham Sharma
• Rajveer Singh

The players who represented the under 19 & 16 are: Anshu Jain and Krishna Punia. Anshu Jain was also called for the selection for the Indian under 16 team. Gagan Khoda was a member of the India under 19 team which toured South-Africa in 1992-93.

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Our Facilities

Presently, any candidate of age 3 years and above can apply for membership. The academy provides the ground, well-prepared wickets, cricket balls etc. It has six practicing wickets. Coaching is conducted 5 days a week. Candidates are selected after a trial. Poor but talented boys are given free coaching. Cricket Academy also has hostel facilities. For physical conditioning, the academy has a gymnasium which is equipped with modern machines including a Treadmill and Vibrator. For the theoretical knowledge of the trainee, the academy has a vast collection of books and video cassettes related to cricket. The academy also has locker and washrooms for the trainees. We also have facilities for night cricket, as the academy is flooded with sufficient lights.

The academy provides an annual scholarship to an outstanding player every year. We have also organized camps for Ranji Trophy teams like the Rajasthan Ranji Team, Railway Ranji Teams, and Services Ranji Team for several weeks. Apart from this, we are organizing cricket coaching camps for junior boys also.