Sourav Ganguly to coach junior cricketers of Tripura

Agartala: Tripura cricket could be about to get a boost with former India captain Sourav Ganguly announcing on Monday that he would train junior teams from the state.

"I would come here (Agartala) soon to coach the Under-16 and Under-19 cricket teams of Tripura," Ganguly announced amidst huge applause at a function here on Sunday night.

The function is organised by the Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) every year to felicitate prominent cricketers.

Ganguly asked the TCA to organise more tournaments consisting of three-day or five-day matches in order to improve the skills of budding cricketers. 

"Test cricket is the real cricket competition for the all round development of cricketers and cricket," he said.

Ganguly, who is also the joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal, requested young cricketers to use the available infrastructure and fully devote themselves to the game with all sincerity to improve their efficiency.

TCA secretary Saurav Dasgupta said that Ganguly would come to Tripura in November to coach the Under-16 and Under-19 teams of the state. 

"He would help the TCA to improve the talents of Tripura cricketers and cricket infrastructure as well," Dasgupta added.

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, who also spoke at the function, felicitated Ganguly.

The state's sports minister Sahid Chowdhury said that the central government recently changed the funding pattern of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) scheme.

"Earlier the central government had provided 100 percent grant under the RGKA to develop various sports infrastructure and traditional sports in the states across the country. Recently, the union government changed the funding patter to 50:50 where the centre and state would contribute equal amounts to execute various projects and schemes under the RGKA," he said.

The minister said that all the north-eastern states have strongly opposed this changing of the funding pattern.

"With the central government's various decisions, the development of sports would be hampered to a large extent in the country," Chowdhury added.