Merlin Group and Yuvraj Singh Expand Cricket Development in Kolkata
Merlin Group announced the launch of a second Yuvraj Singh Centre of Excellence (YSCE) at its Club Arena facility on Basanti Road, Bantalla, Kolkata, approximately 20 minutes from Science City. This partnership with former Indian cricket captain Yuvraj Singh builds on the earlier YSCE established at Merlin Rise – The Sports Republic in Rajarhat, which has been operational since 2023 and has trained 600 students.
The new YSCE Club Arena is designed as a comprehensive multisports destination. It features a 10,000 sq ft state‑of‑the‑art indoor air‑conditioned sports arena—among the largest in Eastern India—and a 30,000 sq ft outdoor sports ground that will host year‑round professional cricket training and other sporting activities. Complementary amenities include a restaurant and café, residential accommodation for athletes and guests, a modern gymnasium, fitness facilities, recreational zones, and infrastructure to support professional coaching programmes, tournaments, corporate sporting events, and community engagements.
In the inaugural cricket trials for the Kolkata centre, more than 200 aspiring cricketers participated, and six promising players were awarded scholarships to train under the YSCE programme. The organiser indicated that additional rounds of trials will be conducted based on registrations and demand, allowing further young talent to join the academy.
Merlin Group, founded in 1984, is a leading Indian real‑estate conglomerate with a portfolio spanning residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and lifestyle projects. To date, the group has delivered over 100 landmark projects covering more than 20 million sq ft, with a similar amount under development across multiple Indian cities, positioning it as a pan‑India developer.
The YSCE at Merlin Rise – The Sports Republic, launched in 2021, was Eastern India’s first integrated sports‑themed township. It houses the Ronaldinho R10 Football Academy, which currently trains 117 young footballers, and plans are underway to introduce a Michael Phelps‑branded swimming programme and an MMA Matrix centre led 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 Kolkata facility. Saket Mohta, Managing Director of Merlin Group, highlighted the pride in strengthening the partnership with Yuvraj Singh and emphasized the significant demand reflected in the trial response.
The launch of the second YSCE underscores Merlin Group’s commitment to creating world‑class sporting infrastructure and integrated lifestyle destinations that promote fitness, recreation, and youth development across Eastern India.
Release Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026, 18:09 IST