BCCI summons Arjun Tendulkar and 19 other youngsters for camp at the NCA - Reports

BCCI has summoned 20 young cricketers for a 20-day camp in the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

In order to identify young, talented players with a wide range of skills who have the potential to excel at the highest level, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have summoned 20 promising all-rounders to participate in an intensive training camp at the prestigious National Cricket Academy (NCA) located in Bengaluru. This camp is set to span nearly three weeks and aims to facilitate a swift transition of these players to the elite level.

Arjun Tendulkar among the Summoned Players for the Camp

Among the individuals summoned for this camp is Arjun Tendulkar, the son of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Arjun, who currently represents Goa in first-class cricket and has previously played for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), will join the camp when it commences in August.

"There is an Emerging Asia Cup (U-23) also later this year and BCCI is looking at potential youngsters. The all-rounders camp is an idea of NCA's head of cricket VVS Laxman to ensure that we develop a lot of multi-skilled players across formats," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

According to the information received, the senior national selection committee, currently under the interim leadership of Shiv Sunder Das, has carefully chosen players for the team based on their performance and future potential.

"Not everyone summoned for camp is a pure all-rounder. Some are batting all-rounders and some are opposite. The idea is to tap the potential and help them upgrade their skills suitably for transition to next grade," the source added.

Notable Selections: Chetan Sakariya, Abhishek Sharma, Mohit Redkar, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, and Divij Mehra

Notable selections include Chetan Sakariya, a talented left-arm seamer from Saurashtra. Abhishek Sharma, a left-handed batsman from Punjab, has impressed with his batting and spin bowling. Mohit Redkar from Goa and Manav Suthar from Rajasthan have also made the list. Harshit Rana and Divij Mehra from Delhi are known for their all-round skills.

"Harshit was in fact summoned as net bowler with senior Indian team to UK for WTC finals. Accordingly his visa and travel documents were prepared but we saw Yarra Prithviraj of Andhra being sent. But it's good that national selectors are seriously considering his potential. He is also a handy batter, who can only get better if he works on his batting," a senior DDCA official said.

"In case of Divij, getting a five-for against Mumbai worked for him. Plus at the age-group level, he has scored hundreds. He is more than a handy batter," the official said.

National Selectors' Confidence in Arjun Tendulkar's Development

When asked about the rationale behind Arjun Tendulkar's selection, the BCCI source said ,”Arjun already has a Ranji Trophy century. A left-arm pacer who bowls between early and mid 130 kmph and bats left-handed. He brings in variety." But can his call-up be questioned, considering his modest performance in domestic cricket? "It is not just about numbers but also about potential. He is 23 and has time to develop is what this (senior selection) committee thinks. Else, they wouldn't have picked him. Yes, he only has 12 wickets from seven first-class games but he has shown a certain degree of ability and coaches will work on that," the BCCI source added.

The confirmation of Arjun Tendulkar's inclusion in the NCA camp was also affirmed by the Goa Cricket Association.