A proper dream-come-true moment this! Mumbai Indians, as part of their annual grassroots development tournament MI Junior, hosted an exclusive masterclass for the champion teams of the 2024 edition today at Wankhede Stadium. The session, led by esteemed coaches Lasith Malinga and James Pamment, aimed to inspire and impart valuable insights to the budding cricketers. 

Anjuman-I-Islam (Boys’ Under 14), RR Education Trust (Boys’ Under 16), and Shardashram Vidyamandir (Girls’ Under 15) were the proud recipients of a 90-minute masterclass conducted by both esteemed coaches. The kids were put through some rigorous fielding drills by Pamment while also being run through various team-building exercises. Malinga spoke to the kids about the keys to being a good bowler and the skills that they should look to develop. Both coaches also took up questions from the children and answered them patiently while also giving demonstrations where needed.

The work ethic and attitude of the kids impressed Malinga. “It was a great learning experience for the kids. Reliance (Foundation) has been at the forefront of this initiative and provided the children with great opportunities. I was pleasantly surprised to see the number of questions that they had. MI has always unearthed a lot of talent and I hope some of these kids do go on to play for Mumbai Indians in the next 10 to 15 years,” he said.

Pamment, who was conducting a coaching clinic with kids from the MI Junior programme for the second time, said, “It was nice to connect with the kids and get to know them. I’m sure the kids would have had fun this morning. The activities we had planned for them were ones that they could enjoy. The more fun you make the activity, the more engagement they have in it and the more they learn.”

After the clinic Pamment soaking in the enthusiasm from the kids said, “When you achieve the gold you had set for yourself, it is important to celebrate, so I just wanted the kids to recognise their achievements.”

Pamment also delved into the importance of experiences like these for the kids saying, “Days like today as well as the ESA day are truly special. They expose the kids to playing more cricket and seeing more cricket. Hopefully, it’s inspirational enough for them to pursue a cricket career and enjoy it.”

The day was particularly memorable for Yugandhara, a fast bowler who idolises Lasith Malinga. “Malinga sir is my favourite bowler, so I was a little nervous today morning but at the same time, I was extremely excited. I’m still in shock and can’t tell whether what just happened was a dream or reality. I asked him a lot of questions and he treated us with a lot of respect and kindness and he is very humble.”

The fourth edition of MI Junior was the biggest in the tournament’s history and held in three cities: Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. A total of 300 teams took part in the tournament, the most for a single edition. The tournament was played in three categories: U-14 boys, U-15 girls and U-16 boys.

Keep an eye out on these immensely talented kids, Paltan. Let's spot our game's future superstars already!