From Our Correspondent
Melbourne (Australia): Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT and Electronics Nara Lokesh met with Cricket Victoria executives at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to explore collaboration in player development, joint training camps, and friendly matches between Andhra Pradesh and Victoria.
Lokesh said the Andhra Premier League (APL), organised by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), has become a key platform for identifying local talent and grooming them for IPL-level competition. He noted that several APL players — including Shaik Rasheed, Tripurna Vijay, Nitish Reddy, Satyanarayana Raju, and Paila Avinash — have been selected in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The minister urged Cricket Victoria to work with Andhra Pradesh on joint training programmes, women’s cricket development, and eco-friendly cricket infrastructure. He also suggested enhancing fan engagement through live streaming and digital platforms.
Cricket Victoria representatives said they are keen to introduce cricket education diplomas and degrees in India and are actively considering setting up a Cricket Academy in India. They reiterated their commitment to promoting women’s cricket, community-level programmes, and sustainable facility development.
Cricket Victoria oversees top professional teams such as Victoria Bushrangers (men) and Victoria Spirit (women), who compete in major domestic tournaments including the Sheffield Shield, Marsh One-Day Cup, WNCL, and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).