Just barring a few, none of the local “stars” have registered as J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) on Wednesday announced the list of players who will take part in the senior men’s T20 trials.
JKCA had earlier notified players to register by mailing their documents, as they are set to hold open trials for the senior men’s category after several years on 24th May for Kashmir region and on 29th May for Jammu region.
Since the trials are for the T20 format, it was expected that local players who have attained the “stardom”, especially in Kashmir valley, would also take part and prove their mettle where it matters.
“It was a golden opportunity for all the local stars to prove they really have got it in them. I expected them to at least register for the trials,” a former J&K cricketer said.
“I agree that selection has never been on merit in JKCA, but if you won’t take part in trials, how will you know? If these guys would have played trial matches and performed well, they would at least prove a point. Not registering either means they are not interested in playing real cricket or they know they don’t have what it takes,” he added.
Local cricket is at an all-time high in Kashmir, with people in huge numbers thronging to the grounds to watch some of the local stars in action.
Meanwhile, a total of 193 players across Jammu and Kashmir have registered for these trials. It includes some of the top players, who have played in the past, including Fazil Rashid, Sharukh Dar, Mohammad Tahir and Aakash Choudhary among others.
Players who are over 30 years of age will have to undergo a fitness test before appearing in the trials. The schedule for the same is below:
SK Stadium, Srinagar – 23rd May, 2025
Hostel Ground, Jammu – 28th May, 2025