MUMBAI: Cricket dreams now come with a front porch and a golf course view. Yugen Infra, the real estate developer known for blending lifestyle with leisure, has roped in Gary Kirsten South African cricket legend and coach of India’s 2011 World Cup win to co-create 30 ultra-exclusive Cricket-Front Villas at its flagship Yugen Golf City near Goa’s MOPA International Airport.
The announcement, made at The Lalit in New Delhi on 6 August, marked the start of a strategic partnership between Kirsten, Russel Symcox of GK Investments, and Yugen Infra. Together, they’ll shape a residential project designed for those who want cricket to be more than just a weekend pastime, a lifestyle where the pitch is as close as the patio.
“These villas are more than homes; they are a celebration of India’s cricketing soul,” said Yugen Infra managing director Sheeshram Yadav. “We are transforming a nation’s passion into an everyday experience.”
The second innings of the evening featured the unveiling of True North International School Asia’s first residential institution pairing world-class academics with elite sports training. Spread over 10 acres, the school, developed with True North Group, will follow a dual-track curriculum offering mentorship in cricket, chess, and other competitive sports alongside rigorous academics.
“Education is the foundation of a progressive society,” Yadav added. “We want our students to have the discipline of athletes and the curiosity of scholars.”
Kirsten called the collaboration “impactful” and praised the vision of combining education with high-performance sport. The launch included a fireside chat on nurturing tomorrow’s champions with panellists such as Aakash Chaudhry, founder of Sparkl Edventure, and Prof Harish Chaudhry of IIT Delhi.
Guests ranged from school leaders of DPS, GD Goenka, and Heritage Group to global sports mentors, investors, and innovators all aligned with Yugen’s goal of building a community where the classroom and the cricket field are equally central to daily life.
