Controversy Erupts As Player, Who Never Kept Wickets, Picked As Wicketkeeper In Delhi Squad
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) came into the limelight after the squad for the upcoming Vinoo Mankad Trophy was announced.
- Delhi's Vinoo Mankad Trophy squad announcement sparked a controversy over a backup wicketkeeper's selection
- It was alleged that the selectors were forced to choose the player despite having no wicketkeeping experience
- DDCA president Rohan Jaitley removed the controversial player and replaced him with a specialist wicketkeeper
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) came into the limelight after the squad for the upcoming Vinoo Mankad Trophy was announced. A 23-member squad was announced by the DDCA on October 3, but one player's selection created a massive controversy. It has been alleged that Player No. 22, who never kept wickets before, was named as a backup wicketkeeper. It was further alleged that the player was selected on the insistence of a senior DDCA official and some office bearers reportedly also lodged a complaint with the board president, Rohan Jaitley, regarding the same.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, it was also claimed that the junior selectors were pressurized by a senior DDCA official to pick that particular player in the squad.
Reacting to all the complaints, Jaitley removed that particular player from the squad and got him replaced by a specialist wicketkeeper.
Earlier, DDCA Secretary Ashok Sharma also wrote a letter to Jaitley, complaining about the presence of three directors during a selection committee meeting for the U-23 and Ranji Trophy teams.
"Directors cannot be part of the selection committee meetings. However, Harsh Singla, Anand Verma, and Manjeet Singh entered the room and demanded that they be part of the meeting. I had to defer the meeting as they refused to leave. I have written a letter to the DDCA president highlighting the issues related to today's selection committee meeting," Sharma told The Indian Express.
"The recent selection process has raised serious concerns about the functioning of the DDCA selection committee. Contrary to established practices and BCCI guidelines, the Apex Council members have overstepped their roles, undermining the autonomy and credibility of the selection committee. We urge you to revisit the selection process and ensure that it adheres to the norms and best practices followed by the BCCI... Today, a few directors also attended the meeting, which raises concerns about potential bias and undue influence. Notably, one of the directors' presence seems particularly pertinent given that a family member is a candidate for selection," the letter stated.