Yuvraj Singh contemplating opening a cricket academy

Bangalore:

Out-of-favour Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh on Wednesday said he is planning to open a cricket academy in about a year's time to groom budding cricketers.

Yuvraj has been left out of the India's squad for the upcoming three-Test series against New Zealand and was also not in the team for the recently concluded Test series against Australia.

"I have an idea of starting an academy. The aim is to get the best of talent of India," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

On the location of the academy, he said, "Wherever I can, where there is some space and the right environment," adding that he would probably open it in north India.

"It is a long procedure", he said adding there was a need for good academies that offer various facilities for training. He was here for an event to felicitate the shortlisted contestants of a competition on innovative ideas that have the potential to transform India.

Yuvraj, the brand ambassador for ITC's Classmate which has launched the contest titled 'Classmate Ideas for India Challenge' said, his own idea for India was "to encourage the youth to give out their best. It is to be a good example, a good icon and help the youth to give their best."

Asked if he had any idea that may help India clinch the next year's World Cup, he said, "It is not just an idea that would help clinch the world cup. It requires work and effort by the team. Having just an idea and playing cricket were altogether different."

Singh also applauded the three shortlisted contestants from Bangalore who presented their ideas that could transform India. The shortlisted ideas included a GPS system that could enable bus commuters to get prior information on the location of the bus they were waiting for and thereby cutting down on waiting time.

The other ideas that were shortlisted was creating electricity out of sound, including converting the honking of cars at a traffic jam into electricity and producing electricity from smoke emanating from chimneys of factories.