Jamnagar's Cricket Bungalow continues to shape young cricketers

Ravindra Jadeja began his cricket journey at Jamnagar's historic Cricket Bungalow, where he trained under Mahendrasinh Chauhan. The 63-year-old coach still runs his academy at the venue without charging students and has been doing so for four decades. More than 300 young cricketers train at the facility daily across age groups.

The pavilion, built in 1908 during Maharaja Ranjitsinhji's reign, has seen generations of players pass through, including Vinoo Mankad, Salim Durrani and Ajay Jadeja. The building shows signs of neglect with peeling paint, broken windows and parts of the ceiling needing repair, but the coaching continues from early morning until late evening.

Chauhan says he cannot compete with modern academies that offer gymnasiums and swimming pools. He focuses on teaching the game he has devoted his life to, maintaining the same routine that produced multiple generations of Indian cricketers from the modest facility in the heart of Jamnagar.