Guwahati, Feb. 6: The Assam Cricket Association will hold a four-day clinic for coaches here from Friday to put in place a standardised coaching system similar to the one at the Bangalore-based National Cricket Academy.

The national academy and Assam Ranji Trophy coach Lalchand Rajput will conduct the clinic at the NF Railway stadium in Maligaon. A coach each from the cricket association’s 34 affiliated and five non-affiliated units and several former players will partcipate in it.

Rajput said the coaches would be closely monitored and tested on February 10. “Those who clear the test will be engaged by the Assam Cricket Association to improve the standard of coaching at the district level. The clinic will be sponsored by us,” secretary of the association Bikash Baruah said.

There is only a handful of coaches, including Kamal Das, Manoj Bhagawati, Jayanta Choudhury, Rajiv Rajbongshi, Satyagopal Chakravorthy and Dhiraj Das, who are called for outstation and local duties. “The clinic will help us identify more coaches for preparing a panel for domestic meets,” Baruah said.

Rajput, who is here on a three-year contract, said the clinic should begin soon since Assam’s Ranji Trophy engagements are over. “Now I will be able to concentrate on the clinic. Such clinics should be held from time to time,” he said.

The former Test cricketer felt the clinic would help his coaching technique to percolate down to the district-level players, rather than getting confined to the Ranji players. “To do well, knowledge has to be shared. It will also give me a chance to understand Assam cricket. I am looking forward to it,” he said.