Srinagar: J&K senior cricket team is all set to start its campaign in Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament after having performed below average in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy tournament.
While everyone is lashing out at players for not giving out their best, the real question should be asked to J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) who are still sitting on their chairs despite disasterous outing by their chosen teams at National level during last 2 to 3 years.
The team combinations have changed, players are dropped, included, punished , sidelined and what not, but what should actually change is still the same.
It is same adhoc JKCA body, teams are selected by same set of chosen questionable characters- sorry selectors, so-called 2 member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is still giving blind nods in return for huge contracts, coaches are still same only being given different assigments but one thing that has remain constant is failure of JKCA teams at National level and blaming players.
Looking at recent performance of J&K senior mens cricket team in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20, one hoped that our star studded side may qualify for second round. However, as the matches were live, soon it was noticed that something is missing with body language of the players being down.
Though selection of the team was a mockery with no selection process followed and chosen set of players picked for the probables, one hoped for better coaching standards this time but JKCA continued with the proven failures in all levels.
Sources have said that players were not happy with the continaunce of Delhi based coach for senior cricket teams. However, despite making their reservation clear and pointing out flaws, JKCA persisted with same coach.
“JKCA brought in a Delhi based coach who was earlier banned for match fixing. However, he failed to give better results last season and players also expressed their reservations to JKCA about his coaching methods. Despite that JKCA continued with same coach this season,”
“Coach knows that certain players arent happy with him and have complained. Now same coach is again at the helm of affairs that is affecting the atmosphere in the team. With that the performance is also getting affected which was visible in SMAT20,” sources said.
Sources further said that JKCA top official who controls cricket activity is also not happy with senior players.
“JKCA is run by one man and everyone knows that. Though in visibility there are 3 persons appointed by BCCI but reality is different. This man is turning JKCA and J&K Cricket into a mess. He is ruining the basic structure of J&K cricket,” source said.
“Recenty he punished a senior star player by making him do round after round of the ground. Also a player was demoted and sent to play for Under-23 team. It was a punishment for that player for not towing their line,” source added.
A former player said that in absence of an elected body, J&K cricket is getting badly affected.
“There is no accountability as no one has to answer anyone. Selection procedure, team officials etc are being chosen without any merit,” he said.
“When a player perfoms badly , he/she is dropped but when teams fail continiously we arent seeing our age old selectors, coaches, CAC kicked out. From decades we are seeing same selectors and coaches in JKCA. Regimes change but they are constant,” he said.
Recently a noted Sports Physiotherapist Dr Suhail in a video lashed out at JKCA for destroying J&K cricket.
“There is nothing for a cricketer in J&K and a body that has been given role to develop it is doing self welfare. JKCA lacks everything that we witness in Indian cricket currently. There is no professionalism and few people are running whole affairs as per their wishes. It is time for BCCI to kick out these people and give power back to deserving cricketers of J&K,” he said.