Governor Nikhil Kumar has called for a core change in the outlook of the public for the State to produce more cricketers to play for India.
Mr. Nikhil Kumar was speaking after dedicating a cricket stadium at Krishnagiri in Wayanad, the first to be owned by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), to the nation on Tuesday.
He said the State had produced many national and international players in athletics, football, volleyball and basketball, but not in cricket. Such a trend should be changed.
The Governor commended the initiatives of the KCA to promote the game by constructing cricket stadiums in each district of the State. The stadiums would help improve the talent of budding cricketers.
He asked the KCA authorities to construct an international stadium only for cricket in the State. They should approach the State government for land. The State had an international stadium in Kochi, but it was a multipurpose stadium. He offered his full support to realise the dream.
He said India had given birth to master cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, and their achievements for the country would inspire youngsters to achieve excellence in cricket. The time was not far for such a great player to emerge from the State, he said.
Mr. Nikhil Kumar released a souvenir, charting the evolution of the Wayanad cricket stadium, by handing over a copy to M.V. Shreyamskumar, MLA. Youth Affairs Minister P.K. Jayalakshmi presided over the function and KCA president T.C. Mathew welcomed the gathering.
