--- title: "My Story: Why I Train Mumbai's Aspiring Cricketers" description: "I am Dinesh Salunkhe, an IPL champion on a mission. Discover why I started my Mumbai cricket academy to help talented middle-class players achieve their dreams." canonical: https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/my-story last_updated: 2025-09-29 --- # My Story: Why I Started Training Mumbai's Cricketers Tribe Verified · IPL winner mentoring local Mumbai talent By [Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy) · Camps and trials at Chembur; open to students across Mumbai · ₹2,000 per month (estimate) Part of [Seasonal Camps & Selection Trials](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/gallery) I didn't open this academy to build a business. I started it because I know exactly what it feels like to have talent, the drive to succeed, and absolutely no clear path forward. Let me tell you why I do what I do. ## Photos and videos - [Video: This is why I started my academy. After winning the IPL, I knew I had to give back. I wanted to create a place where kids from any background, even those whose parents are auto-rickshaw drivers or maids, could get a real chance to play for Mumbai and even India. My dream is to see one of my students play for the country while I watch from the stands.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a60536cf-da7c-474a-8298-06e247683cb6) ## About My Story I’m not here to coach the privileged few. My academy is built for the kids I see at the ground every day, kids who have the raw talent but lack the fancy gear or the connections to get a break. If you are willing to put in the *mehnat* and get your whites dirty on a real, muddy pitch, you have a place here. This is not a place for shortcuts. My journey started on the streets before I made it to the Rajasthan Royals and won the IPL in 2008. Shane Warne once told me I could be a big leg spinner, and that belief changed my life. I want to pass that same belief to the next generation. Most academies today focus on perfect, flat surfaces. But real cricket doesn't happen on turf. It happens on real grounds like Gandhi Maidan, where you deal with uneven soil, potholes, and the weather. That is where you learn to adapt. When you train with me, you don't just learn technique. You learn how to face the reality of the game. I focus on the kids who might otherwise be ignored. Many of my students come from modest backgrounds, where parents work as auto drivers or domestic helpers to fund their child's dream. I make sure that if a kid has the skill, the lack of money or connections does not become a wall. We run our camps through the summer heat and the monsoon rain because matches don't stop for the weather, and neither does a serious cricketer's preparation. If you want to play for Mumbai or eventually India, you have to show up every day, listen, and push your limits. I am here to give you the chance, but you have to bring the discipline. ## About Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy I have been through the grind myself, from local Mumbai maidans to winning the IPL. Now, I focus on finding talent in the kids who usually get ignored and making sure they get the same chance I did. [See all of Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy's services](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy) ## More from Seasonal Camps & Selection Trials by Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy - [Featured](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/featured) - [Our Star Players: From Academy to Arena](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/our-star-players-from-academy-to-arena) - [The Grind: Sweat, Discipline, and Mehnat](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/the-grind-sweat-discipline-and-mehnat) - [On the Pitch: Tournament Action & Trials](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/on-the-pitch-tournament-action-trials) - [Words from Cricket Legends](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/words-from-cricket-legends) - [Join Our Camps](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/seasonal-camps-selection-trials/join-our-camps) ## More services by Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy - [Cricket Coaching Programs](https://mytribe.in/dineshsalunkhecricketacademy/cricket-coaching-programs) ## Similar work from other experts - [Real Cricket Success Stories from Mumbai](https://mytribe.in/sunilcricketacademy/professional-cricket-pathway-program/our-player-journeys) by Sunil Cricket Academy · Professional Cricket Pathway Program · Training at academies in Churchgate and Dharavi, Mumbai - [Our Champions: From Academy to Glory](https://mytribe.in/machocricketacademy/youth-group-cricket-coaching/our-champions-from-academy-to-glory) by Macho Cricket Academy · Youth Group Cricket Coaching · Sessions at Karnataka Sports Ground & across Mumbai - [Our Players, Our Pride: From Academy to National Stage](https://mytribe.in/cricketcity/high-performance-program-for-elite-cricketers/our-players-our-pride-from-academy-to-national-stage) by City Cricket Academy · High-Performance Program for Elite Cricketers · 6 academies across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Maharashtra & UP - [Professional Cricket Pathways and Elite Training](https://mytribe.in/allheartca/professional-cricketer-development-program/featured) by All Heart Cricket Academy · Professional Cricketer Development Program · In-person training at multiple grounds across Mumbai - [Our Champions: The Path to Professional Cricket](https://mytribe.in/sca_51/professional-cricket-coaching/our-champions-the-path-to-pro) by Sanjeevani Cricket Academy · Professional Cricket Coaching · Coaching at academy in Bandra East; open to students across Mumbai - [From Payyade to the Pros](https://mytribe.in/payyadesportsmumbai/cricket-coaching-training-programs/from-payyade-to-the-pros) by Payyade Sports Club · Cricket Coaching & Training Programs · Coaching at 4 locations across Kandivali and Borivali, Mumbai ## Book To book Dinesh Salunkhe Cricket Academy, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%20Coach%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20story%20on%20mytribe%20and%20I'd%20like%20to%20ask%20about%20your%20cricket%20academy%20programs.) 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