Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be in Singapore on January 20 to launch a cricket academy named after him.

The MS Dhoni Cricket Academy, which has already garnered 80 registrations, will provide coaching to boys and girls from age six upwards and adults. Academia7 in association with Aarka Sports, is planning to launch his academy in 13 countries.

Dhoni aims to promote grassroots-level cricket development globally."Sports should be an essential driver for the development of a child's character. Apart from being fit, you can learn leadership and other important aspects of life via sports," said the 36-year-old in a statement released on Friday (Jan 5).

"Every kid should play an outdoor sport. MS Dhoni Cricket Academy is not only about producing cricket talent, but our academy's vision is to guide a kid to become a champion in life via sports."

SportsKingdom, a company owned by Chetan Suryawanshi, who is also the Singapore men’s cricket team captain, and Diviya G.K., the Singapore women’s cricket team captain, has been roped in to run the academy, which will initially function from Saint Patrick’s School and United World College (East Campus), in Singapore.

Players will get to train on four astro pitches at St Patrick’s, which also has a small ground for fielding practice. The fee is $25-$30 per player for a two-hour session.

The first MS Dhoni Cricket Academy started in Dubai in Novembe and has more than 320 members.

The academy has the following facilities: four turfs, three cement and three matted pitches, spin and swing bowling machine, safety nets, lights for night practice, in-house sports shop for quality cricket gear and video analysis.