SHOCKING! Rohit Sharma’s Academy closes doors – unpaid staff and angry parents react

What was meant to be a dream chance for young cricketers in Dubai has turned into a nightmare for around 35 families. The academy, which used the “CricKingdom by Rohit Sharma” name, shut down suddenly in May 2025. Many parents are now demanding refunds, and coaches say they have not been paid.

Dreams Turn to Disappointment for Dubai Families

The academy began in September 2024, run by Suhas Pudota across four schools in Dubai. It was heavily promoted with Rohit Sharma’s name and pictures, making parents believe their children would get world-class training. “We joined because of the Rohit Sharma name,” said Jithil, one of the first parents to enroll his child. Another parent, Pratap, said the whole marketing was built around Rohit, so they trusted the brand.

But trouble started early in 2025. By April, classes were irregular even though many had paid for the whole year. By mid-May, training had stopped completely. On May 28, parents were told in a WhatsApp group that Grasport would no longer run the academy and would handle refunds. But parents say they still haven’t received their money back.

Rohit Sharma's cricket Academy in UAE shutdown due to financial difficulties.

Parents are demanding refunds for unused sessions from April to June 2025, covering Term 3 of the academic year, as classes became irregular!! 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/iizlSxznEq

— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) July 8, 2025

Coaches Left Without Pay and Struggling

The staff also suffered badly. Salaries were getting delayed as early as December 2024. By May 2025, many coaches stopped working because they weren’t paid at all. Assistant coach Tiran Sandun Wijesuriya said he hadn’t been paid since May and couldn’t pay his rent. “I have nowhere to go,” he said. Other coaches, like Ayo Mene Ejegi and Chamani Seneviratne, also said they kept asking for their salaries but only got empty promises.

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CricKingdom, the brand owner, said Suhas failed to pay what he owed them after the first payment. Even after giving him extra time, he didn’t pay. By March, CricKingdom told him to stop using their name and Rohit Sharma’s images. By late April, Suhas had left the UAE. He admitted he didn’t plan the finances well and blamed high costs like Dh50,000 monthly rent and running two failing academies.

Now, CricKingdom says they plan to start a new academy on their own by September 2025 and promise to refund or adjust fees. But many parents say they’re tired of just hearing sorry and want real action and their money back. Some have even filed complaints with Dubai authorities, hoping to get justice.