Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has advocated for recognising tennis-ball cricket talent, backing the new Beyond Reach Premier League (BRPL). He stressed the format’s unique skill set and said talent should not be hostage to the leather ball.
Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has advocated for recognising tennis-ball cricket talent, emphasising that skill and innovation from grassroots deserve equal opportunities on bigger platforms like the Beyond Reach Premier League (BRPL).
The first season of the tennis-ball league, BRPL, is set to be held from September 19 to October 10 this year, welcoming aspiring and semi-professional cricketers aged 18-40, from 28 states and 8 Union Territories across India.
Chopra’s Structured Cricket Journey
Reflecting on his own journey, Akash Chopra said he did not experience gully or tennis-ball cricket, having entered structured cricket at a very young age, according to a release. “Actually, I did not play tennis ball cricket. I started with a season ball. I joined a cricket club at the age of 9. So I was young, at the age where I should be playing tennis cricket or gully cricket, but I did not get to play and we were playing with the leather ball,” said Aakash Chopra.
Advocating for a Different Skill Set
Highlighting the distinct skill set of tennis-ball cricket, Aakash Chopra stressed that the format produces exceptional and often underrated talent. “These are two different balls, and why should talent be hostage to the leather ball? When I look back now, after seeing a lot of tennis-ball cricket across the country, the quality is outstanding — the stroke-making, the bowling, especially variations like leg cutters and off cutters,” he added.
The former Indian cricketer further underlined that the perception around tennis-ball cricket needs to evolve, as it demands a different yet equally valuable skill set. “If we think that if you don’t play with the leather ball, you don’t have a future, that’s not right. It is still a sport played with a bat and ball — just a different skill set, and one that deserves recognition,” Aakash Chopra said. (ANI)
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