MUMBAI: Former Mumbai pacer Pradeep Kasliwal is set to be appointed as the 'satellite head' of the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) three satellite academies in Thane and Navi Mumbai. His tenure will start from May 1.
Kasliwal, who picked up 45 wickets in 15 first-class games@32.80, was the representative of the Indian Cricketers' Association in the MCA's Apex Council last year. He has been a selector and director of coaching at the MCA's Indoor Academy at BKC in the past.
As per an MCA document (in possession of TOI), the satellite academies will be established in three regions-Mira Road/Palghar, Thane-Kalyan and Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The number of academies will be "slowly increased later." They will cater to the age groups of boys in the under-14, U-16, U-19 & U-23 age groups, and girls in the U-19 age group.
The players for satellite academies would be picked by the MCA's selectors. Each academy will have 15-20 players in each group. "MCA conducts summer vacation camps during April/May every year. Top performing players who don't get picked in the list of probables would not be eligible to be included in the satellite academies."
Each satellite academy will have a support staff including: "head coach, assistant coach, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coach," and a visiting staff of "video analyst, nutritionist and sports psychologist."
The vision of the academies is "to provide uniform and high-quality coaching to emerging players, and to create a solid foundation of technically and mentally strong players."
The mission of the academies is "to establish academies in locations which are closer to the residence of emerging players, to provide best-possible infrastructure to the emerging players, and to create a roadmap for emerging players to follow and progress."
