The concept of Cricket Homestay, titled 'The Bat and Ball Inn', launched in Kochi in June is fast 'catching up'.

Former Kerala Ranji Trophy Player, J K Mahendra is the brain behind the project.

This venture is the second after the one in Bangalore, which was kickstarted last year, Mahendra told PTI from Chennai.

Besides, Mahendra, the homestay has as its co-partners, fast bowler S Sreesanth, dashing batsman Robin Uthappa and renowned cricket commentator Charu Sharma.

Mahendra, an all-rounder during his playing days, said they planned to start a homestay in Chennai, where a lot of cricket is played, on the lines of the ones in Bangalore and Kochi and later on, at Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The homestay at Kochi, the first of its kind in Kerala, has been developed in a 3000 square feet rented premises in the heart of the city and has Mahendra's phenomenal collection of cricket memorabilia from the world over.

Among his collections are the history of Kerala cricket from 1951 and rare photographs and paintings. "Sreesanth and Uthappa had also contributed their collections," he said.

The homestay has five suites-- four named after legendary cricketers-- Sunil Gavaskar, Sir Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, Sir Vivian Richards and one named as 'Legend suite'.

The homestay at Bangalore was also doing well, he said, adding it also has four suites named after veteran cricketers like Ranjit Singh, Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Donald Bradman and Sir Colin Cowdrey and also a 'legend suite'.

Mahendra said he had been collecting cricket memorabilia for the past 35 years and had also conducted exhibitions of his collections in India.