MSK Prasad, former India stumper, was brought in as Director, Cricket Operations, by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) in 2009 to provide guidance to the State. The ACA president Dr. G. Gangaraju persuaded Prasad, settled in Hyderabad, to take up the responsibility. Prasad had 32 years of service left with Defence Public School (Bharath Dynamics Limited) but he decided to accept the offer.
How was it initially? “After joining I told our management that the coaches in our Association should be well taken care of. A guru should be treated with respect. I could successfully convince the management to separate cricket operations from administration. I was given a free hand to choose my team from former cricketers. I was ably supported by my team (Bhaskar Ram Murthy, M.N. Ravi Kumar and V. Satyaprasad.) We asked for two level A coaches in all 13 districts, started rural centres with O level coaches, gave maximum opportunities to players in the domestic matches and removed fear of selection in the minds of players, enforced transparency in selection policy and also started a grievance cell where the parents can ask for clarity on selection committee decisions.”
Prasad, who played six Tests and 17 One Day Internationals (ODIs), worked on his dream project on a furious pace. “In order develop junior cricket we have started residential academies wherein we have adopted 30 boys each in three academies. We have U-14 academy in Mangalgiri, U-16 Academy in Kadapa and U-19 Academy in Vijayanagaram. Each academy has its dedicated stadium. Each Academy has got one level 3, one level 2 and level 1 coach, apart from a trainer and a physio. Each academy has a gym, 12 practice pitches, first class play fields and dedicated kitchen and dinning halls. Apart from these we have library and study halls.”
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According to Prasad, “All the academy players are given free food, accommodation, cricket coaching, playing gear and medical care. Above all we also facilitate free education in reputed educational institutions as our aim is to not only develop a good cricketer but also to make them educated citizens. It costs us rupees one crore for each Academy per annum.”
Giving major credit to Dr. Raju for the progress Andhra cricket has made, Prasad, 39, says, “The players selected in these academies are in different disciplines of the games and we are sure that these academy kids are going to serve Andhra Cricket Association for the next 12-15 years. The aim of these academies is to develop good cricketers who can go on to represent the game at the highest level. We have also developed an exclusive Academy for women. The BCCI has adopted this Academy as the head quarters for women's cricket.”
The ACA, says Prasad, will soon sign agreements with Kent County, New South Wales and Asian Cricket Council for exchange programmes. “We want to make our domestic cricket more competitive, send our teams on international tours and generate employment opportunities for the players.”
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