Amidst court battle and tough stand by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the International Cricket Council, players of the newly formed Indian Cricket League would go ahead with their planned inaugural fitness and training camp commencing in Chennai from Thursday, August 30.
Barring those players presently engaged in English county cricket, all other who have signed with the rebel league would arrive in Chennai over the next couple of days for the three-week camp to be held at Mayajaal, a resort-cum-entertainment complex located 32 km from the city.
The players would train under coach Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a member of the 1983 World Cup winning squad.
The first cricketing action of the ICL, formed by the Essel Group in April last, comes days after the authorities announced the names of about 40 players and officials who have joined it.
The camp was being held for preparation of the players for ICL's inaugural 20-twenty tournament scheduled to be held in India in October.
It would be inaugurated by former India stumper and Chairman of ICL National Cricket Selection Committee Kiran More.
The campers would have three sessions of daily routines spread over four to five hours. The sessions would comprise physical training and net practice etc. There would also be team building games and couple of match matches among the trainees, Sandhu, who have already arrived in Chennai, said.
He said the thrust of the camp would be fitness training, self-analysis and evaluation, cricketing skills and other aspects. Those playing in the English county cricket would join the camp midway. Legendary spinner Erapalli Prasanna would be at the camp for a week after September 3.
