Dubai: World renowned spinner and Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin will share his expertise with youngsters in the UAE. Ashwin, who enjoys coaching youngsters was impressed with the talents in the UAE during his last visit in December 2016 and has picked the UAE to provide an unparalleled coaching programme designed specially by him based on his cricketing experiences at the highest level.
The off spinner, who is among the top ranked bowlers in the world, has a coaching academy named GenNext Cricket Academy in Chennai. To spread his knowledge, Ashwin has agreed for a partnership between GenNext and Kings’ School in Dubai.
Speaking about the tie-up of his academy with Kings’ School, Ashwin, who is in England playing county cricket, said: “Kings GenNext in Dubai is ready to rock and roll. I am arriving there shortly. My programme have been designed and if you want to be the next generation cricketer come to Kings GenNext academy. I can’t wait to get there and let us all rock it together. This partnership is definitely going to contribute to continuous improvement in coaching techniques with a flavour of innovation and drive to excel.”
Kobus Olivier, Director of Cricket at Kings School, said: “Ashwin is keen on making an impact on every child and has invested in coaching so the partnership between Kings’ and Ashwin’s GenNext coaches is bound to be a special one. Kings’ is about producing balanced, talented, well-rounded and disciplined students and Ashwin’s involvement will be a big boost.”
GenNext Kings’ Academy is aiming to provide players of all ages and skill levels an opportunity to experience world class coaching in a state of the art environment. “The primary aim is to cultivate and sustain the love for cricket in young people, encouraging students to explore their natural abilities under the guidance of the coaches. More importantly the goal is to instill the self-confidence required to succeed in both cricket and life,” added Olivier, who is Level 3 South African coach and was National Youth Team Coach for Holland, CEO of Cricket Kenya and Director of Cricket at Cape Town University which has produced players of the quality like Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Eric Symonds, Ryan Tendochate and Brian Murphy.
The facilities at the Kings that is awaiting to help Ashwin share his knowledge include four indoor nets, six outdoor astro-turf nets, video analysis technology with high speed cameras, professional bowling machine, audio/visual lecture room, fully equipped gymnasium and changing rooms, along with a clinic staffed by qualified medical professionals. Plans are on for a full size turf pitch, cricket oval and multiple turf pitch nets with floodlights.
Alan Williamson, Director of Education at Kings’ School’s expressed his delight in his school entering into a partnership with one of the best cricketers in modern times. Akshay Khanna, Head of Business Development for Kings’ Schools, who was instrumental in forging the partnership with Ashwin, is keen to make it the top cricketing academy in the UAE.
