With more attention being paid to youth development in the American cricket scene, the demand for quality coaching has started to grow. As part of that, coaches from overseas have started to come stateside to help teach the aspects of the game that may not be readily apparent to kids who arennnÃ?t experiencing the game on a daily basis.

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By Peter Della Penna

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With more attention being paid to youth development in the American cricket scene, the demand for quality coaching has started to grow. As part of that, coaches from overseas have started to come stateside to help teach the aspects of the game that may not be readily apparent to kids who aren’t experiencing the game on a daily basis.

Ajit Tendulkar is one such coach who is trying to have a positive impact on American cricket by sharing his time and knowledge with young cricketers eager to grow. As the older brother of Indian superstar Sachin, Ajit acted as a mentor to help put his sibling on the path to greatness.

The elder Tendulkar has completed his seventh visit to the United States to coach at the Cupertino based California Cricket Academy. On the same visit, he conducted a week-long camp at Dreamcricket Academy in Hillsborough, N.J. Tendulkar believes that even though his opportunities in the USA are limited, the time has been well spent.

“As far as players are concerned, there has been progress most certainly, but it’s slow but steady because my tenure was for a short period,” said Tendulkar in an interview during his recent visit to New Jersey and the Dreamcricket Academy.

Tendulkar says that parents play an important role.  "They are seeing to it that they follow up on whatever I’ve been talking to the kids and every year I see certain improvement in that direction, whatever I have spoken to the parents and the kids so that’s very satisfying," he said.

Tendulkar has had a hand in aiding the development of many players from the three-time defending U-15 National Champion North West squad. After several years, the biggest improvement he’s seen in the players is in overcoming the obstacles presented by playing on artificial wickets in the U.S.

“I think most of these kids, they are playing on matting wickets and what I’ve found was the bounce was a little too much,” said Tendulkar. “The kids in the beginning were perhaps a little hesitant to play on the front foot comfortably where they’re required to lean over the ball and initially they could not do it properly. But over the period of time, they are realizing the bounce well and adjusting accordingly which is a very noticeable thing among them.”

In terms of comparing the talent in India to the talent available in the USA, Tendulkar believes it is not easy to make an accurate assessment because the approach is different from a cultural perspective and there is a great disparity in the playing numbers as well.

“The option basically here, if you have to pick 10 best kids, you have to pick them from maybe 50 odd boys,” said Tendulkar. “In India, there are so many boys who turn up in one net that picking up 10 good boys is much simpler."

Tendulkar told DreamCricket.com that USA and India cannot be compared.  “You can compare two things only when equal opportunity is given to both sides. You really cannot compare kids in America with kids in India because they hardly get, for example, after the practice is over, each one is in his own house and not everyone must be watching cricket."

"In India, you get a lot to learn by watching others, watching senior players, on television or in newspaper.  Here there is a possibility that some of the kids are like, after the practice when they go back home, the mind is switched off probably."  Tendulkar said that continuity is what is missing in USA.  "You learn a lot just by watching also so there is more opportunity there to pick up the game more quickly than you can here,” he said.

In terms of the youth matches he’s seen, Tendulkar wishes there was greater attention given to improving the standard of facilities used.   “So far I’ve been only able to watch kids (playing in youth macthes) in California, that too in Cupertino,” said Tendulkar. “Ground conditions were not so suitable for the game basically. So that’s the one thing which needs to be taken care of so that you can really judge them properly.

“The grass on the outfield was so thick that sometimes players wouldn’t know whether they are scoring runs easily. Is it because of the outfield that they have not been able to score runs?"

"That’s slightly confusing maybe for the younger kids. So I think the ground conditions also have to be improved.”

Along those same lines, Tendulkar believes that for USA’s youth system to catch up to the rest of the world, installing turf pitches should be the number one priority.  “Pitches, most certainly,” said Tendulkar. “If you get to play on turf pitches, that will be nothing like it because then you are exactly on the same line with regular cricket playing countries. So then you go to let’s say India or any other regular cricket playing country, it will be no different because you have already practiced on turf pitches, and the outfield. That’s the first priority. They should get a chance to play on turf pitches and the outfield has to be reasonably good.”

It’s also important for more opportunities to be given to young cricketers, whether that is through playing in senior leagues or by forming youth leagues around the country which hardly exist outside of New York City.

"The more games you play, the better for you, no matter whether you are playing cricket in America or you are playing cricket in India. So they should get more opportunities against different opponents.”  In Tendulkar's view, match play is the only way to maximize exposure to different kind of situations, different types of bowlers, different types of wickets.

Despite the road blocks that are thrown up to prevent kids in America from developing their cricket to the same level as those in Test nations, Tendulkar is pleased with the enthusiasm he has seen from everyone he has come across through his involvement in coaching kids in America.

“There is a lot of interest in America about this game of cricket,” said Tendulkar. “It seems everyone is working to make it happen. Children are keen on playing. They come from long distances sometimes to just play in the nets. Parents are involved. They are taking great efforts so I think that’s a very healthy sign. Everyone seems to be so far very positive and looking forward to making it (work) rather than complaining about it. Whatever is available, they are trying to make the most of it. That’s the very positive thing about cricket in America.”

Tendulkar was also pleased with his first coaching stint at the Dreamcricket Academy, the first time he has done coaching on the east coast. 

“The setup here is really good,” said Tendulkar about the Dreamcricket Academy. “I mean four indoor nets, bowling machines, and that helps you to work on your particular weakness if anyone has so that helps really to work on that. I think everything is available as far as indoor cricket is concerned and the other day I saw that DreamCricket is trying to get one of the grounds where they can start outdoor activities (for juniors). So that will be a step for them."

Ajit Tendulkar camps are planned in Washington DC and New Jersey next summer under the auspices of DreamCricket Academy.