Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 12 (ANI): BCCI Secretary Devajit Lon Saikia on Friday described the newly inaugurated indoor cricket facility at the ACA Cricket Academy in North Guwahati as one of the biggest such facilities in the country, saying its comprehensive infrastructure will allow Assam's cricketers to train throughout the year without weather interruptions.
Saikia inaugurated the 17,000-sq-ft indoor facility at the ACA Cricket Academy in Fulung, Kamrup district, which features nine practice wickets, including four designed for spin bowling and five for pace bowling.
"The significant part of this indoor facility is that it has 9 practice wickets, which will cater to the needs of spinners as well as pace bowlers. Out of the nine, four wickets are meant for spin bowling, and the remaining five are meant for pace bowling. This is one of the biggest indoor facilities available in the country,” Saikia told ANI after the inauguration.
“In addition to the cricket practice facilities, this indoor facility also houses a gymnasium, a physiotherapy room, and all requirements for pre-hab, rehab, and sports science medicine,” he added.
He further added, “Following this inauguration, all players who are seriously pursuing cricket as a career can continue their practice without any interruption during the summer as well as the rainy season in Assam. This will definitely help them prepare for bigger events in the season, especially the BCCI domestic cricket tournaments."
The facility has been equipped with imported Uniturf playing surfaces, providing players with different training conditions across the nine wickets. It also includes two spin bowling machines and a fast bowling machine, with the equipment sourced from the USA, Canada and Australia.
Alongside the cricketing infrastructure, the indoor centre houses a 1,500-sq-ft gymnasium and dedicated facilities for player recovery and rehabilitation.
The setup includes separate male and female changing rooms, both equipped with ice baths, while a sauna and steam room have also been incorporated into the facility.
A dedicated physiotherapy room will cater to rehabilitation, injury management and recovery, while the facility also provides infrastructure for pre-habilitation, rehabilitation and sports science medicine.
The new indoor facility is expected to strengthen the ACA Cricket Academy's ability to conduct structured training programmes throughout the year, particularly during Assam's summer and rainy seasons when outdoor practice can be affected by weather conditions.
Saikia said the facility would provide players with a comprehensive environment to work on their cricketing skills while maintaining their fitness and focusing on recovery, with the broader objective of preparing them for higher levels of competitive cricket.
ACA Secretary Sanatan Das, ACA Treasurer Anupam Deka, ACA Apex Council Member Mukutananda Bhattacharjya and other officials were also present during the inauguration.
The facility is expected to play a key role in the development of Assam's next generation of cricketers and help players prepare for BCCI domestic tournaments with access to year-round training, fitness and recovery infrastructure. (ANI)
ACA Cricket Academy has one of the biggest indoor facilities available in country: BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia
