Impressed Dravid wants to play at DY Patil Stadium

Impressed with the facilities DY Patil Stadium, veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid today said today he wants to play at least one international tie at the venue in Navi Mumbai before quitting the game.

"I did not have the opportunity to play here in the IPL last year. But I had heard so much about the facilities here from others. Now I have been blown away. I hope I will get an opportunity one day to play here. I want to play at least once in an international tie here before I stop playing (cricket)," he said here today.

Dravid, who specially flew in from Bangalore this morning to inaugurate the DY Patil Sports Academy's website 'www.dypsa.in', said the stadium was comparable to the best cricket stadiums in the world.

"The facilities are truly magnificent. This stadium is comparable to any top stadium in the world and is better than most," the former India captain said.

Dravid, who has been recalled to the India ODI side after a two-year gap for the triangular series in Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, said he was impressed with the sports facilities for other games which, he felt, could be utilised by budding sports persons.

"This place can be a training ground not only in cricket but for all disciplines and be a breeding ground for future sports people. I have no doubt that in future this will be the hub," Dravid said.

"When this stadium was started six years ago there was no concept of the IPL. The vision to build these facilities is remarkable," he added.

The sports academy's president Vijay Patil said in his welcome address that sports federations, especially of swimming, tennis and badminton, could utilise the facilities in the complex to conduct even national level meets.

There are five tennis courts, two badminton courts and an Olympic-size swimming pool other than three glass-backed squash courts, according to sports secretary and coordinator of the academy, Avinash Salvi.