Former CSK star Ravichandran Ashwin visits Chennai Super Kings Academy in Salem

Add as a preferred source on Google

Chennai Super Kings have launched many academies across the state of Tamil Nadu as a part of their grassroots development, and the youngsters at one of those centres had a special visit recently.

India spinner and former CSK player Ravichandran Ashwin recently visited the Chennai Super Kings Academy in Salem, located at Neelambal Subramaniam Higher Secondary School.

During his visit, he interacted with students and shared valuable insights about cricket and life beyond the sport. This interaction took place on the sidelines of the TNPL 2024.

Ashwin highlighted the significant rise in talent emerging from Tamil Nadu's districts.

He noted that, "Over the last 2-3 years, 11 out of the 15 players in the Tamil Nadu Under-16 and U-19 squads are from districts. When I played, there would be only five players from districts."

He attributed this growth to improved infrastructure and supportive parents who see sports as a viable career option.

Reflecting on his own early days in cricket, Ashwin remarked on how different things were back then.

"When I went for cricket coaching first, we didn't have facilities like what you have at this age. We would play only on weekends, and we would spend the weekdays waiting for the weekends," the India veteran added.

Ashwin emphasized that better infrastructure has played a crucial role in nurturing young talent. He pointed out that many youngsters from districts now have a strong desire to perform well in sports. This is largely due to initiatives like those from Super Kings Academy, which aim to make cricket more accessible across various regions.

Ashwin's visit was an inspiring experience for the students at Super Kings Academy. His words of wisdom and encouragement are likely to motivate many young cricketers to pursue their dreams with greater determination.