We Have Immense Sporting Talent in India, All We Need Is Infrastructural Support: Rashid Ali Khan

Rashid Ali Khan, Founder, Significant Sports with Basketball Legend AC Green and other officials from National Basketball Association

Business Wire India

• "Cricket in my Country is a religion and I plan to create the same in the USA," says Rashid Ali Khan, Founder of Significant Sports
• Development at the grassroots level is the first and foremost as well as the most important step in building any sport in a country – Rashid Ali Khan

Rashid Ali Khan, Founder & Director of Significant Sports, the man behind many sporting initiatives in India, is all set to help in the revival of cricket in America. “America & Britain were the first two nations to start playing cricket actually, but for reasons like the advent of Basketball and also the formation of ICC, which had only Commonwealth nations as a part, led to cricket being reduced to a hobby in America. Some other positive factors have encouraged my team & me, to go forth and give the final push for the revival of cricket in America,” says Rashid Ali Khan.   He has now ventured into starting new initiatives in Basketball and Cricket right from the grassroots levels in India. He met Basketball Legend AC Green and is in final talks with officials from NBA, to bring Basketball to India, just the way it is played in USA. “I am an ex-basketball player & have realised, while playing as well as after quitting the sport, that India which has many talented sports persons has a growing interest in basketball but lack mainstream support & infrastructure facilities. But with plans to get NBA to India, the face of the game can have an entire overhaul.”   Therefore, he plans to change things right from the basic levels by starting training camps across India as well as setting-up a professional Basketball League, so as to get Indian Basketball players on the world map.   With plans of reaching out to schools, create state cricket associations, help in building the right infrastructure as well as having training camps across the country, Rashid Ali Khan, is upbeat and very optimistic to be at the helm of things. He adds, “Cricket in my country India is literally a religion where the craze is not quantifiable, and this is what I plan to create in USA. The next 5 years will definitely be crucial as it would be for any new venture, but I have full faith that we will be able to pull this through and give America a top standing in the world of Cricket.”   Also with channels like ESPN stepping up their cricket coverage in the American region in the recent years, an international American Cricket team might soon be on the grounds.