Gary Kirsten Is Looking For Indian Talent
New Delhi: Former South African opener and World Cup-winning coach of the Indian cricket team, Gary Kirsten is a name to reckon with in the world of cricket.
This summer, his organisation Gary Kirsten Cricket will be looking for exceptional young cricketers in India to hone them into players of the future. Kirsten, who is widely loved by Indian cricketers and fans alike, is working closely with a group of experts, to harness the best talent in the country. A nation-wide talent scout will be held between April 23 and May 18, starting with a two-day camp in Mumbai.
To be held over April 23 and 24 at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana, Gary Kirsten Cricket India will be selecting aspirants in three categories: under 14, under 19 and open. GKC head coach Ryan Van Niekerk and his team of assistant coaches will be conducting the talent hunt for the best male and female players.
The hunt will also be held in Bangalore (April 28 and 29), Pune (May 2 and 3), Delhi (May 10-11), Chennai (May 14-15) and Jaipur (May 17 and 18). Six players from each city will be invited to Pune for a weekend training programme in July. Following this, 3 players out of the 36, will be given a scholarship for a 2-month residential High-Performance Camp worth Rs 2 lakhs each. At every stage of talent scout, Gary Kirsten will be exchanging notes with his team on the progress the young players would make. He will be an intrinsic part of the High-Performance Camp.
Says Gary Kirsten, “India has such immense cricketing talent. From every small town to a big city, there are gifted youngsters waiting to be tapped. I have always had a warm, home-like connection with India and feel deeply involved in their cricketing passions. Gary Kirsten Cricket is committed to coaching budding players and even coaches to better their game. And with the kind of talent that India consistently produces, we want to be there to help them attain greater heights.”
There will be 10 skills-based stations looking at bowling, batting, catching, fielding, power hitting, speed bowling at the venues. With 20 players per station at a time, they will change stations every 15 minutes to showcase their skill sets across cricketing departments.
To participate in the talent hunt, all one needs to do is text their name, city and contact details via WhatsApp to 9112295566. Upon receipt of these details, the player will be sent the link of an entry form which s/he has to fill and submit for final registration. The team at GKC will then contact the player with details of the venue, date and time for participation. The entry fee for the talent scout is Rs. 1,000 (including taxes) and the only criteria for participation is talent.