With J&K’s first two results not going in its favor in the first two Vijay Hazare trophy tournament. Jammu based former cricketers are up in arms against Parvez Rasool and Irfan Pathan for according to them ‘victimizing’ Jammu based players in team.
The Jammu based former players that include; Mithun Manhas have raised questions on the dropping of Ian Dev Singh from the playing-XI. They have termed it victimizing Jammu based players and also termed it politics in J&K cricket team. All the cricketers have levied praise on Ian Dev and have termed his drop from playing XI unacceptable.
However, one thing they have not mentioned in their quotes is once considered biggest star in J&K Ranji team Ian Dev’s form and performance over more than two seasons for J&K team.
In 2016-17 season , Ian Dev played in Vijay Hazare trophy 5 innings, he only scored 40 runs with the scorers of 2, 13, 1, 0 and 24. In the same season , he played 5 T20 he scored total of 56 runs with the scorers of 0, 22, 6, 1, and 27 runs.
Then in the 2017-18 Ranji trophy season in 8 innings of Ranji trophy he scored mere 141 runs with the scores of 79, 21, 6, 3, 22, 0, 0, 0. Followed that by T20 and again Vijay Hazare trophy event, his form and performance was below par that demanded immediate axing from team not to mention Playing-XI. However, J&K team under Parvez carried him, owing to his vast experience and the services for J&K team over the years. But practicality demands Ian Dev should have been dropped and kept at home instead of carrying in team.
Ian Dev was also miserable in the Andhra Pradesh tour that J&K team undertook before the start of the season this year. In the two matches he got batting, he failed to perform. It is time for Ian Dev to go back in the nets, train and look for the flaws in his game and rectify them. He should come back stronger rather than being a liability for the team where many youngsters are waiting at the doors.
Now as voices are being raised, Jammu circles over his non inclusion in playing XI , the all important question that has come again come in mind. Should reputation be given preference over performance, should regionalism be given preference over talent.
On that basis, if regionalism is criteria we may never have found young talent like Shubham Pundir and Paras Sharma or for the record last year Jatin Wadhwan for the team as the non performing seniors would have been included just because they belong to particular region.
Below is the report in Jammu based daily Early Times in which some Jammu based former players have raised questions against Parvez Rasool and Irfan Pathan.
Early Times Report (Jammu Based Daily)
Parvez Rasool, Irfan turn J&K cricket Kashmir centric
Drop Jammu based players, prefer blue eyed boys from Valley
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association has yet again landed into controversy as veteran cricketers are up in ante against dropping of Jammu’s ace player in two matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, being played at Chennai.
The cricket body faced the wrath of veteran cricketers after a seasoned and experienced player from Jammu, Ian Dev Singh was dropped against Bengal by Kashmir-based Parvez Rasool headed J&K Cricket Association.
Mr Singh, who captained the J&K Ranji Trophy squad in 2013-14, was on Thursday dropped from the team, when skipper Rasool, assisted by Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, preferred 8:3 ratio on the field.
”Skipper Parvez Rasool preferred to accommodate the blue eyed boy from Kashmir over deserving players,” rued the cricketers.
”Dropping Ian Dev Singh was an astonishing decision. It has really left the cricketers dumbstruck,” Ashwani Gupta, veteran cricketer and former J&K Ranji Trophy player, here told media.
He said not taking Mr Singh into the team in both the matches, was just like a body without spine.
”He has a wonderful record and had always rescued J&K from turbulent waters with his outstanding performances,” said Mr Gupta.
The former Ranji Trophy cricketer also slammed captain Rasool and experienced cricketer Irfan for their decision and termed it as ‘unacceptable.’
”It is not only Ian Dev Singh, who has been victimised, but four cricketers were not even taken to the venue and they were told to remain in a hotel room,” he alleged.
Another cricketer and former Ranji Trophy skipper of J&K Vijay Sharma alleged that Kashmir-based agenda is being flourished in cricket too.
”Jammu had always been victimised by Kashmiri forces and this is exactly what is happening in cricket too.
”Last year, I accompanied the team as coach and we had good results. We played as team, not as Jammu v/s Kashmir,” said Sharma, adding that Mr Singh is captain stuff and his ouster from playing-11 was taken by surprise in the cricket fraternity.
Jammu-based International cricketer Mithun Manhas, while having all praise for Mr Singh, here told a news agencyI that he is a class player.
”How one can even think of dropping such a wonderful player, who had captained the team for two seasons and has a wonderful record in his kitty.”
Mr Manhas, however, also slammed Rasool for being ‘choosy’ and politicising the gentleman’s game.
Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday was beaten by Bengal by six wickets. Captain Rasool contributed four runs and Pathan was sent back to pavilion for zero.
Last week, former Ranji Trophy captains Dhruv Mahajan and Vidya Bhaskar resigned as selectors, while two others from Kashmir- Zahoor Bhat and chief selector Parvez Qaiser quit the selectors’ panel for alleged ‘undue interference’ by player and mentor Irfan Pathan.
However, despite resignation by the entire panel, the JKCA deputed the state team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
