TeamCoaching staff & alumni12 coaches · 1 manager

The Squad.

Led by Head Coach Pankaj Patankar, with coaches who've worked with the IPL, the Ranji Trophy and India's senior women's team — and the cricketers they've shaped at Universal Cricket Academy.

Train with us

01Head coach

Pankaj Patankar

Founder & head coach · Universal Cricket Academy

A former Baroda age-group cricketer and ICC Academy–certified coach, Pankaj has spent more than fifteen years building cricketers in Ahmedabad — from first-time juniors to a Ranji Trophy captain and an IPL signing.

Coaching: 15+Years
ICC Academy: L1Dubai · 2022
Baroda: U-19& U-16
All India Univ.: 2×Represented

What he represented

01Baroda Cricket AssociationU-16 & U-19, including the Vijay Merchant Trophy and Vinoo Mankad Trophy
02NCA U-19 campPart of the National Cricket Academy U-19 camp during his playing days
03All India UniversityRepresented his university at national level, twice
04SGFISchool Games Federation of India tournaments

What he has achieved

01ICC Academy Level 1Completed the Level 1 Cricket Coach Education Course at the ICC Academy, Dubai — February 2022
02Coaching in CanadaTravelled to Canada to train U-19 cricketers
03State recognitionLetter of appreciation from Anandiben Patel, then Chief Minister of Gujarat — December 2014
04Cricketers producedAcademy alumni include Manan Hingrajia (Gujarat Ranji Trophy captain), Ruchit Ahir (Mumbai Indians, IPL 2026) and Utsav Sharma (MRF Pace Foundation, 2022)

“Your motivational efforts and the service with the aim to help needy and poor players is really praise worthy.”
Anandiben Patel, then Chief Minister of Gujarat — letter to Pankaj Patankar, 5 December 2014

●In good company

Alongside India's finest.

Irfan Pathan, Harshal Patel and Sheldon Jackson have each sent their best wishes to our head coach. Tap a photo to view it full-size.

02Coaching staff

World-class coaching staff.

Learn from professionals who have played and coached at the highest levels — then brought that standard back to our nets.

Rahil Raval — batting and fielding coach at Universal Cricket Academy

GCA & IPL mentor

01 / 06

Rahil Raval

Batting coach & fielding coach

SpecialisationBatting, wicket-keeping & fielding technique

Associated with the Gujarat Cricket Association (Ranji Trophy senior team since 2019), Gujarat Titans (IPL), RCB Women (WPL 2023), Trailblazers (BCCI), NCA camps, and the Indian senior women's cricket team (Feb 2026).

Gujarat Titans · IPLRanji Trophy · GCAIndia WomenRCB · WPL

+91 70413 33878

Ashish Patel — senior associate coach at Universal Cricket Academy

15+ years experience

02 / 06

Ashish Patel

Associate coach (senior)

SpecialisationHigh performance & pace bowling

Senior performance coach with 15+ years of elite coaching experience. An alumnus of the world-renowned MRF Pace Foundation (2013), he mentors bowlers in speed, accuracy and tactical mindset.

MRF Pace Foundation 201315+ years mentorshipPerformance coach

+91 91068 08533

Brij Mohan Singh Tomar — bowling coach at Universal Cricket Academy

Ranji Trophy player

03 / 06

Brij Mohan Singh Tomar

Bowling coach

SpecialisationFast bowling & batting technique

First-class cricketer with 8 years of playing and 6 years of coaching experience. Represented Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy (2012–13), Gujarat U-23 (2018–19) and the Rajasthan Cricket Association U-19 (2011–12).

Rajasthan · Ranji TrophyGujarat U-2314 years in the game

+91 81606 39663

Darshan Chaudhary — batting and side-arm specialist at Universal Cricket Academy

13+ years experience

04 / 06

Darshan Chaudhary

Batting & side-arm specialist

SpecialisationBatting technique & side-arm throwdowns

13+ years of coaching and playing experience. A former Ahmedabad District player and master side-arm throwdown specialist, delivering high-speed, professional-grade batting simulation.

Side-arm specialistAhmedabad DistrictBatting technique

+91 76987 12434

Sanket Sudhir Gavare — bowling coach at Universal Cricket Academy

Technical coach

05 / 06

Sanket Gavare

Bowling coach

SpecialisationBatting & bowling technique

Technical bowling coach specialising in seam orientation, run-up mechanics, line-and-length control and foundational batting skill development.

Bowling fundamentalsSeam mechanicsTechnique analysis

+91 79849 89969

Siddharth Gupta — assistant coach at Universal Cricket Academy

3+ years experience

06 / 06

Siddharth Gupta

Assistant coach

SpecialisationWicket-keeping & fielding fundamentals

Dedicated assistant coach with 3+ years of experience, focused on wicket-keeping posture, glove-work reflex drills, lateral agility and ground-fielding precision.

Wicket-keepingFielding reflexesYouth agility

+91 85118 39488

03Team sheet

Everyone in UCA colours.

The coaches and staff you'll meet at the nets every morning and evening — led by Head Coach Pankaj Patankar.

01

Rahil Raval
Batting & fielding coach
02

Ashish Patel
Associate coach (senior)
03

Siddharth Gupta
Assistant coach
04

Aakash Shah
Coach
05

Daivik Shah
Coach
06

Darshan Panchal
Coach
07

Mehul Mevada
Coach
08

Sushant
Coach
Manager

Sudhakar Gogawale
Academy manager

04Rising stars

Rising cricket stars.

Our academy has produced talent that represents teams at state, national and franchise level.

Ranji Trophy captainFirst-class

Manan Hingrajia

Top-order batter · Gujarat

Matches: 31
Runs: 1,748
Average: 40.65
Top score: 181
Hundreds: 3
Fifties: 7

BCCI Best Batsman AwardCol. C.K. Nayudu top scorerU-25 State A champions

Mumbai Indians · IPL 2026Career

Ruchit Ahir

Wicket-keeper & finisher · Saurashtra

Matches: 27
Runs: 672
T20 strike rate: 169.03
List A average: 42.37
High score: 95
Role: WK

Saurashtra senior teamSPL finalistT20 strike rate 169+

ChampionsTeam record

UCA Tournament Stars

Regional championship winners · state-level selections · gold medals 2024–25

Tournament: Regional Cup
Result: Champions
Divisions: U-16 & U-19
Medals: Gold
Win rate: 88.5%
Merit honours: 15+

05Your turn

Be the next
success story.

Train with the best coaches, alongside future cricket stars. Your journey to cricket excellence starts here.

Start your journey Hall of fame

The Squad.

Pankaj Patankar

Alongside India's finest.