Saikia and Laxman Credit Jay Shah for Driving BCCI Centre of Excellence

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and VVS Laxman have both credited Jay Shah with pushing through the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Built on 40 acres as a permanent base for India’s cricket development programmes, the centre began construction on February 14, 2022 and was inaugurated on September 27, 2024. It started operating that November, replacing the National Cricket Academy’s temporary arrangement at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Shah was BCCI secretary while the project was developed and is now ICC Chairman.

Saikia on clearing the way

In a BCCI press release, Saikia said Shah brought the Apex Council together behind the plan and insisted it be done on a war footing, so the NCA could leave its temporary home. He said Shah visited in person several times to resolve legal issues, as many regulations applied once a proper project was agreed.

The land was the biggest obstacle, Saikia explained. The 40 acres had sat idle for years and many wanted it back, so everything had to be settled before work could begin in February 2022.

Laxman on Shah’s attention to detail

Laxman, who took charge of the NCA in December 2021, watched the project closely. He said the infrastructure was up and running in roughly two years, and that Shah, as secretary, took a keen interest in meetings with the architects and the L&T team to ensure every aspect of the centre was covered.

The Centre of Excellence now serves as a hub for player development, rehabilitation, training and other high-performance work, a clear step up from the NCA’s earlier setup.