BCCI offers support for North East units, advises against outstation players

With less than two months to go for the Ranji Trophy season, cricket associations from the North East are facing desperate times with a non-existent infrastructure and a skeletal talent pool.

These associations, who have been newly inducted into the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the directions of the Supreme Court, have however been advised to not take the easy way out of importing players from the other parts and instead focus on the long-term goal of developing local talent.

The topic was discussed in a meeting between BCCI task force and officials of North East states.

“It was discussed today (outstation players shouldn’t be engaged) and everyone was told that maximum three guest players are allowed as per BCCI’s stipulation,” said Naba Bhattacharjee, secretary of Meghalaya Cricket Association and convenor of the sixth Zone of the BCCI.

“Maximum support should be given to local players, winning is not important but building the team, generating interest in the game among the local players is what is the focus. Or the entire purpose will be defeated,” said Bhattacharjee, the long-serving cricket administrator from Meghalaya.

There has been limited cricket in the region of Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Mizoram, but there is plenty of talent.

“We told the BCCI task force about our immediate needs. We placed our requirements of resources and persons including coaches, trainers, infrastructure development, office staff, ground equipments, ground-staff. BCCI asked us to submit our budget immediately. They will appoint one coach, one trainer and one physio for each team, and will be making direct payments to the vendors,” said the convenor of the North East Zone.

BCCI General Manager Saba Karim and AGM KVP Rao were part of the meeting.

Naba feels the North East bodies will do well with BCCI support. “The other states have been getting approximately R25 crore as annual grant for so many years, we don’t even get R25. People can’t expect our infrastructure and their infrastructure to be the same. We are 30-40 years behind, but we will rise up to the challenge.”

First Published: Aug 02, 2018 10:16 IST