Parthiv Patel turns to AI to democratise cricket, nurture grassroots talent

Bengaluru, Oct 14 : Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel has joined hands with entrepreneurs Kunal Abhishek and Shamik Datta to launch SportzEngage, a Bengaluru-based cricket intelligence platform aimed at making advanced performance analysis accessible to aspiring cricketers, particularly those at the grassroots level.

The platform's first application, CRiQ, uses artificial intelligence (AI)-powered video analysis, personalised feedback and continuous performance tracking to help players identify weaknesses, assess their performance and improve their skills.

The initiative seeks to address the gap between professional cricket and grassroots development, where access to quality coaching, performance analytics and talent scouts is often limited. Its underlying objective is to ensure that a player's progress does not depend solely on access to elite academies, experienced coaches or scouting networks.

"Talent shouldn't depend on who happens to be watching. That's the problem we set out to solve," Patel, co-founder of SportzEngage, said while announcing the venture on social media on Wednesday.

Drawing on his experience as an international cricketer, captain, talent scout and coach with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, Patel said fragmented information and the limitations of individual observation could affect player assessment and talent identification.

While elite-level cricketers generally have access to specialist coaches, analysts, video technology and detailed performance data, young players at smaller academies often lack such resources. SportzEngage aims to bridge this divide through an integrated platform connecting player development, talent discovery and match analysis.

The company said it is developing proprietary computer vision models specifically designed for cricket to convert video footage into actionable performance insights, rather than relying on generic video-analysis tools.

"What makes cricket such an interesting problem is that off-the-shelf computer vision models simply don't work. We've built our proprietary models specifically for cricket," said Datta, co-founder of SportzEngage, who will lead the development of its AI platform.

Patel emphasised that technology would complement coaching expertise rather than replace it.

"The best coach will always beat AI. But the best coach using AI will beat the best coach not using AI," he said, highlighting the importance of combining technological insights with human experience and judgement.

Kunal Abhishek, an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, will lead business and product development, while Datta, an IIT Bombay graduate, will oversee the technology platform.

The company's long-term plans include expanding into talent intelligence and live match intelligence, with features such as advanced ball tracking and match analytics for domestic competitions, leagues and broadcasters that may not have access to such technology.

The platform could potentially widen access to data-driven cricket training, provide coaches with additional tools to evaluate players and help promising cricketers gain recognition beyond their immediate sporting networks.

For Patel, the initiative goes beyond building a technology business and aims to transform how cricketing talent is identified and nurtured.

"I believe AI can democratise access to cricket intelligence and make the quality of insight available to a young player far less dependent on where they come from or who is coaching them," he said.

The venture's success will ultimately depend on whether its technology can provide reliable, affordable and practical insights at the grassroots level, where AI-assisted training could make a significant difference in player development and talent identification.