Vithaldas Hegde
vhegde3@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The newly elected Goa Cricket Association (GCA) President Mahesh Dessai said that the construction of a full-fledged international cricket stadium in the State is the need of the hour and he will see that it will be built during his tenure.
“Whether it is Dhargalim in Pernem Taluka or Maulinguem in Bicholim Taluka, the need of the hour is a cricket stadium. I will see that it is built during my three-year tenure,” Dessai said when asked whether land has been identified for the stadium.
The main problem was the development of an international cricket stadium in the State. Goa needs a cricket stadium, while few ODI matches in the State were played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.
Dessai informed that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured them his full support towards construction of a cricket stadium.
Reacting to the State government issuing notice to the GCA for failing to utilise the land allotted to it to construct an international cricket stadium at Dhargalim.
Dessai said, “Dhargalim is a good location because there is an international airport. But the need of the hour is the stadium. Our cricket clubs will decide the site. People of Goa want a cricket stadium.”
When asked about the issues of the GCA, Desai said, “On Friday, we invited junior national cricket team head coach Pritam Gandhe from Vidarbha to the State. He is the one who is the best right now for U-16, U-19 and he will guide us very well because he will take us from the grassroot level. Since it is a long-term picture, Gandhe is going to mould senior players and further guide them. So it is the first decision which we took on Friday before the first meeting of the newly elected GCA managing committee scheduled on September 29. We have already started our programmes.”
Dessai said that Gandhe has got a long vision and he will train players from the grassroot level. He will guide other players also being the head coach of the India junior national cricket team.
Gandhe has played more than 100 First-Class Ranji cricket matches and definitely he has got a big vision and we are of the opinion that he will take our players from the grassroot level.
The newly elected GCA president disclosed his plans to increase the number of cricket centres across the State.
“We already have 12-13 centres and we want to increase it to 20. There will be a lot of players, there’s a lot of youth with talent. That’s how we have to bring the U-12, U-14 and U-16 players. We will try to make it along with the managing committee members. We will take cricket to a different level in the coming days.”
Desai, who was a member of the Goa cricket team which played its maiden Ranji Trophy match against Kerala in 1985-86 season, recalled that Namdev Fadte was the best batsman and Sharad Pednekar was best fast bowler the State team had.
He said that Goa has also selected three professional players from other States to represent the State in this year’s Ranji Trophy season. The GCA has appointed Milap Mewada, a former Baroda player and who was the batting coach for Afghanistan as their head coach for the 2025-26 season.
“Mewada took the Afghanistan cricket team to a different level and we have hired him because he is outstanding,” he concluded.
