The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru represents one of the board’s biggest infrastructure shifts, replacing the temporary National Cricket Academy arrangement with a permanent base built on a 40-acre site and brought into operation in November 2024.
The project gathered momentum under then BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, with construction beginning on February 14, 2022. What followed combined the development of the new facility with a wider transition in the board’s high-performance operation, as the BCCI sought to create a permanent home while maintaining continuity on the cricketing side.
Clearing the way for a permanent home
Before construction could begin, the BCCI faced a series of administrative requirements connected with developing the Bengaluru site. The groundwork became an important early phase in moving the Centre of Excellence from a board-level ambition into an executable project.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told select media at the BCCI CoE: “He took everybody on board in the BCCI’s Apex Council and made a firm decision that this establishment, the Centre of Excellence, had to be done on a war footing. We needed to move on from the old, temporary arrangement of the National Cricket Academy. Jay also came here personally on several occasions to clear all the legal hurdles to start the work, because a lot of regulations had to be followed once we decided to start a proper project. On top of that, we had to regularise the land.”
The BCCI ultimately moved into the construction phase in February 2022, establishing a clear starting point for a development that would reshape its Bengaluru footprint.
Saikia added: “That was the biggest challenge because this kind of land, 40 acres, was lying idle and a lot of people wanted to take it back. So, everything had to be cleared before the work started on 14th February 2022. Jay went to great lengths to ensure that all the hurdles were cleared and that everyone involved in the project was aligned towards completing the mission.”
With the site available for development, attention shifted towards execution. The BCCI’s plans now had to be translated into physical infrastructure while the organisation continued preparing for life beyond its existing NCA arrangement.
Building the new facility
The construction programme brought architects and L&T into the process alongside the BCCI. Shah remained involved during this stage rather than limiting his role to the approvals and administrative work that preceded it.
BCCI Centre of Excellence Chief VVS Laxman told select media at the BCCI CoE: “In the span of close to two years, the entire infrastructure was up and running. And huge credit to Jay because he was the secretary of the BCCI and I myself saw firsthand how much interest he used to take in various meetings we used to have with the architects, with the L&T team, to make sure that each and every aspect of the CoE, or then NCA, is taken care of.”
The development of the physical site was only one component of the BCCI’s broader change. As work progressed towards a permanent Centre of Excellence, the board was also dealing with a change in personnel at the top of its high-performance setup.
Laxman became part of a changing system
That leadership change had begun before construction started. Rahul Dravid’s move to become Head Coach of the Indian team left the BCCI considering how to preserve continuity within the structure he was leaving behind.
Laxman stated: “In 2021, when Jay and then BCCI president Sourav (Ganguly) reached out to me, saying that Rahul (Dravid) is moving to the Indian team as the head coach, and we want that continuity.”
“It was a tough decision for me. But as a cricketer, I always thought that it’s the responsibility of former cricketers who benefited through this great game to contribute back to the game. And with that intention, obviously, I moved to Bangalore in December 2021.”
Laxman’s move to Bengaluru placed him inside the setup shortly before construction commenced. His role subsequently became part of the BCCI’s transition as the organisation prepared to leave behind the temporary NCA model.
Saikia said: “But the transition was a challenge. Roger Binny was there, and we have taken the help of VVS Laxman who by that time, was part of this scheme.”
The BCCI was therefore changing both the home and the leadership framework of its high-performance operation during the same period. The new infrastructure progressed while the cricketing setup continued under a structure designed to provide continuity through that change.
From construction project to operational centre
The Bengaluru development reached its defining milestone in November 2024, when the Centre of Excellence became operational. From the start of construction in February 2022, the BCCI had moved through the development process in less than three years.
Laxman added: “And it’s great to see that, you know, the vision was translated into reality. And I think all leaders have vision. But the vision will only bear the fruit when it’s translated into reality. And that reality is what we’ve seen in 2024, November.”
The result was a permanent Centre of Excellence on land that had previously remained unused, completing the BCCI’s move away from its temporary National Cricket Academy arrangement. As the Bengaluru facility approaches its second anniversary, it stands as the finished product of the infrastructure programme Shah helped set in motion and drive through the board.
