The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shown interest in supporting non-cricket disciplines. Recently, cricket has been included as an Olympic sport. And that the prime sport of India trying to come forward in a prominent way to boost the other disciplines, is looked upon as a great initiative. India, presently, does not have many specialized training centers, and BCCI now is looking to initiate at least three more specialized training centers. This initiative aligns with the Sports Ministry’s plan to set up dedicated Olympic training hubs across the country. However, as per reports, BCCI is likely to focus on sports that are similar to cricket, that is, baseball. A reliable source from the Sports Ministry shared that several corporate entities, along with the BCCI, are ready to fund these specialised centres, each focusing on one particular sport. The source said, “The ministry is looking to create Olympic centres for every sport where it will identify 100 to 200 talented athletes across the nation and train them across different age groups for this Olympic cycle and the next Olympic cycle." Recently, the Sports Minister met with 58 corporate representatives who expressed strong interest in this vision. The BCCI, in particular, has committed to cover the costs of two or three sports, a huge boost to the government’s plans. The source revealed, “BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla has expressed interest in developing Olympic training centres with no cost to the government. There are sports like baseball which are similar to cricket and the BCCI can do great work there.” Read also: “Don’t shut us out”: West Indies demand Olympic Cricket Access for LA28 BCCI’s backing boosts hopes for Olympic disciplines The BCCI is no stranger to supporting Olympic sports. Last year, it provided Rs 8.5 crore to the Indian Olympic Association to aid preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Currently, India has 23 National Centres of Excellence run by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), but only three are sport-specific: Rohtak for boxing, Delhi for swimming, and Delhi for shooting. The new plan aims to widen this support and improve training infrastructure for more Olympic sports. The Sports Ministry is also exploring ways to enhance India’s competitive edge by involving players of Indian origin living abroad, especially in sports like football. While Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) can reside and work in India, they are barred from representing the country internationally due to a 2008 policy aimed at nurturing home-grown talent.