LUCKNOW, May 18 -- Taking a cue from Jammu and Kashmir's off-season planning, which played a crucial role in the team winning its maiden Ranji Trophy this year, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association has also planned for "special off-season training". This puts all its best players in action to prepare for the domestic season starting in September.

Former India cricketer and a successful UP coach, Gyanendra Pandey, former pace-bowling mainstay Ashish Winston Zaidi, former India pacer Praveen Kumar and Waqar Ahmed are all involved in the high-performance off-season camp UPCA is currently holding at Kanpur's Kamla Club ground.

"We have been going through a very frustrating phase for the last few seasons, so we decided to rope in people who...