BCCI keen on launching National Commentators Academy

The National Cricket Academy (NCA) is home to the budding talent in the country. Now the BCCI is planning to come up with another NCA and this time it would be named the National Commentators Academy.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the BCCI is mulling over a “new broadcasting enterprise” which could be titled the National Commentators Academy, where the board will tutor those interested in the profession on how to speak on air.

The academy will aim at training the interested people the basics of cricket commentary and inculcate the necessary skill sets needed to speak fluently on air.

“We are planning to have a commentators’ academy where interested youngsters who want to take up the profession will be able to hone their skills,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur quoted.

He also cited the example of VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag as how the two were loved for their commentary in regional languages in the recently concluded ICC World T20. “It will also cater to various regional languages. Look how people liked Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman’s commentary,” he added.

Well the intention of the BCCI might well be to take a hold on what is to be spoken on air. Ironically, popular commentator Harsha Bhogle was sacked from the commentary team of the IPL. Whether the forming of NCA comes as a successor of this or not, is unknown.

The reason for the ouster of Bhogle from the commentary team also remains a mystery as BCCI is yet to give a statement on it. While some blamed Amitabh Bachchan’s tweet pointing towards a particular unnamed commentator and asking him to praise the Indian players also might have been the trigger, others said it was Bhogle’s argument with a Vidarbha Cricket Association official that showed him the exit door. And there were also reports that some of the senior players in the Indian team might have complained against the experienced commentator.

Whatever be the reason, the BCCI is all set to have a tightened grip on the commentators.

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