Mumbai: As cricket enjoys unprecedented growth in the United States following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and with the sport set to return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Indian coach Deepali Rokade is quietly playing a key role in developing the next generation of American cricketers.
Currently the Head Coach at KCR Academy in the United States, Rokade has established herself as one of the leading grassroots coaches in the country’s rapidly expanding cricket ecosystem, combining technical excellence with a holistic player-development philosophy.
In just 18 months at KCR Academy, Rokade has overseen remarkable success. Under her guidance, the academy’s Under-14 team were runners up at Florida in Pink ball Cricket tournament and Under-11 side finished runners-up in the prestigious USA Pathway NAYCA Games. She also served as one of the selectors for the USA Under-15 Pathway programme, underlining the trust placed in her cricketing knowledge and eye for talent and the U15 Team ended up being the National Champions in 2025.
Beyond team success, Rokade has built an impressive record of nurturing individual talent. Among the players she has coached are USA national team cricketer Aparna Gurumurthy, Disha Dhingra, promising Mumbai youngster Swara Jadhav, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season in age-group cricket, along with Ishaan Unnithan, Lassya Bandaru, Amil Shah and Koundinya, Reyansh D all of whom have progressed through her coaching programmes.
Known for her modern coaching methods, Rokade has introduced specialised programmes covering batting, bowling, fielding, match awareness and physical conditioning. She also launched the innovative ‘Brain Boost’ initiative, aimed at supporting the mental well-being of young cricketers and their families, an aspect increasingly recognised as critical in elite sport.
“Coach Deepali has demonstrated exceptional technical knowledge, tactical understanding and outstanding leadership. She has an incredible ability to develop individual players while creating cohesive, high-performing teams. Equally important is the positive environment she has built, where player welfare and character development remain central to the programme,” said a senior official at KCR Academy.
Speaking about her coaching journey, Deepali Rokade said:“The United States is one of the most exciting places for cricket right now. My goal has never been just to win matches, but to build confident cricketers who understand the game, enjoy the process and develop into good people. If our players can dream of representing the USA one day, then we’ve done our job as coaches. Every trophy is a bonus, but player development will always remain the priority.”
Rokade’s own cricketing journey began in Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, (earlier known as Aurangabad), where she was selected during the 1996-97 Women’s World Cup camp, She was then chosen to play in the squad for the prestigious Diana Edulji Benefit Match at the Brabourne Stadium around the World Cup, an early recognition of her playing credentials.
As American cricket continues to invest in its grassroots structure ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics, coaches with proven developmental expertise are becoming increasingly valuable.
Through championship-winning teams, pathway selections and a growing list of successful protégés, Deepali Rokade is emerging as one of the Indian coaches helping shape the future of cricket in the United States.
For Rokade, however, the mission extends beyond producing victories. It is about creating a sustainable pathway for young cricketers to dream bigger, compete harder and eventually represent the United States on the world stage.