This is the second part of Yahoo Cricket's coverage of BCCI's specialised academies. [Read Part 1.]

Part I of this piece was about the specialised academies that the BCCI has put in place to enable talent development, according to their skills - pace bowling, spin bowling, wicketkeeping and batting. The piece was concluded with the view that these academies are not quite the way forward, primarily because they limit the scope of talent development based on perceived excellence in specific skills, rather than a wider range of qualities that eventually separate the chaff from the grain.

“Skills” refers to the inherent ability of any cricketer to play the straightest of drives, elbow facing the bowler. Or even that rare display of intent by a spinner to deceive a batsman with flight, loop and dip. These are things you’re taught at a young age. Surely, that’s not enough, or is it?

What about the qualities required to make the cut? For a batsman — the ability to plan