Announcement
Merlin Group announced the launch of a second Yuvraj Singh Centre of Excellence (YSCE) in Kolkata, West Bengal, in partnership with former Indian cricket captain Yuvraj Singh. The new centre, named YSCE Club Arena, is located on Basanti Road, Bantalla, approximately 20 minutes from Science City.
Facility Details
The YSCE Club Arena comprises a 10,000 sq ft indoor air‑conditioned arena and a 30,000 sq ft outdoor sports ground, making it one of the largest multisport facilities in Eastern India. The campus also includes residential accommodation for athletes and guests, a restaurant and café, a modern gymnasium, fitness facilities, recreational zones, and infrastructure to host professional coaching programmes, tournaments, corporate sporting events and community engagements.
Trials and Scholarships
The inaugural cricket trials attracted more than 200 aspiring cricketers, after which six promising players were awarded scholarships to train under the YSCE programme. Further rounds of trials will be conducted based on registrations and demand.
Existing Centre and Ecosystem
The first YSCE, launched in 2023 at Merlin Rise – The Sports Republic in Rajarhat, has trained 600 students to date. Merlin Rise, inaugurated in 2021, is Eastern India's first integrated sports‑themed township and also houses the Ronaldinho R10 Football Academy, which currently trains 117 young footballers. Upcoming additions to the Merlin sports ecosystem include the Michael Phelps Swimming programme and the MMA Matrix centre by Tiger Shroff.
Quotes
Yuvraj Singh, Founder of YSCE, said the success of the High Performance Centre at Merlin Rise demonstrated the strong passion for cricket in Bengal and expressed enthusiasm for expanding professional training through the new academy. Saket Mohta, Managing Director of Merlin Group, highlighted the partnership with Yuvraj Singh as a milestone in creating destinations where people can live, learn, grow and excel, and noted the encouraging response to the trial process.
Merlin Group Profile
Founded in 1984, Merlin Group is a leading Indian real‑estate conglomerate with a diversified portfolio across residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and lifestyle projects. The group has delivered over 100 landmark projects, developed more than 20 million sq ft, and has an additional 20 million sq ft under development across multiple Indian cities.