NCA trainer appointed without appearing for test, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri informs CoA

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said he has reported the issue to the CoA. (Source: Express File)

The appointment of a trainer at Board of Control for Cricket in India’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru has come under the scanner. BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, in a letter to the Committee of Administrators (CoA), has informed that one of the trainers approved by them hadn’t attended the BCCI’s workshop on sports science or appeared for the examination at the end of it. Conducted last year, the test was undertaken by 23 applicants.

Johri, in the communication, says that the appointment of the trainer in question, Sohum Desai, was approved by the CoA based on information provided by BCCI’s General Manager (Cricket Operation) MV Sridhar. According to the information made available to the CoA, which later proved false, Desai ranked second in the test.

Confirming the development to The Indian Express, Johri, in a text message, said, “I have reported the matter to the CoA and the office-bearers, will await their decision on the issue.” Sridhar, meanwhile, refused to comment on the matter. Interestingly, the examination for the trainers was conducted by the Indian team’s strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu, who of late has been facing conflict-of-interest allegations. According to PTI, at the September 15 meeting in New Delhi, members had questioned Sridhar about the “process of Desai’s appointment as he has been associated with Basu’s personal fitness centre ‘Primal Patterns”.

Sridhar questions
Sridhar, speaking to PTI on the question of Desai’s appointment, had said, “The boy came second in the exam and that’s why he got the job. I don’t think there is any conflict of interest.”

After the report, CoA sought a report from Johri. In his letter to the CoA, Johri says, “Sohum Desai did not attend the SSM Trainers Workshop and neither did he appear for the exam. I brought this issue up with Dr. Sridhar and he told me that even he was not aware that Sohum had not appeared for the test but was relying on Basu’s recommendation.”

Johri’s letter also mentions that the test was conducted at the NCA under Basu’s supervision while Ian Finley of South Africa evaluated the papers.

Schedule changed
New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has written to the state associations stating that there will be a change in junior and women’s cricket schedule with the inclusion of six North-East states and Bihar.

The schedule needed a change after the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators ruled that the seven states— Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Bihar—will play the junior domestic tournaments barring Ranji Trophy.

Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI General Manager (Game Development), has sent out the mail, a copy of which is with PTI. As per the new schedule, the Under-19 Women’s T20 tournament, which was scheduled from February 1-6 (League), and February 11-17 (Super League) has been omitted, rather surprisingly.

They have now included Women’s U-19 League (November 1-9 ) for North-East States and Bihar in Dhanbad; Inter-State Women’s U-19 one-dayers and Super League (November 16-30) in Andhra Pradesh; Senior Women T20 Challenger Trophy (February 1-4), the venue for which is yet to be announced.

The list also has Women’s U-19 Inter-Zonal two-day matches from February 5-18 in Agartala; Women’s U-23 T20 League from March 17-23 and Super League from March 27-April 2.

In junior men’s cricket, the additions will be U-23 One- day tournament for NE and Bihar in Ranchi; U-23 one-day tournament in Kanpur; Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16) for NE States and Bihar in Shillong; while West Zone will host the all-India knock-out draw of Vijay Merchant Trophy. PTI