No team from Jharkhand will be able to compete in the Santosh Trophy and Women’s championship due to “internal conflict” within the management of the Jharkhand Football Association (JFA), the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said.

In a letter to the state sports department and JFA, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das alleged that the football governing body of India received two independent teams for both the competitions and the apex body of the state for football did not resolve the issue of multiple entrant requests. The letter accessed by ANI reads, “The AIFF received two independent teams for both the competitions, one recommended by the Chairman- Hony. Secretary while one recommended by the President- Jt. Secretary.” “Upon receiving four (4) lists in total from the JFA, the AIFF entered into resolution communication with the management of JFA immediately.

“However, despite the AIFF’s repeated attempts to ensure that the rights of the players and the chance of the Member Association to participate in national competitions are not affected, the JFA committee did not resolve the issue,” it added.

According to AIFF, team reporting for the State of Jharkhand, for the Women’s championship is on Thursday and for the Santosh Trophy is on November 28.

“The AIFF has decided to not entertain any teams from the JFA for the aforementioned competitions,” the letter further read.

“To see that the JFA management was not willing to resolve the conflict even after repeated requests by the AIFF, in the interest of the players is disheartening,” it added.

In a game of determination to last the longest, Chennaiyin FC pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 win over Hyderabad FC, here in a 2021-22 Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Tuesday.

Vlagyimir Koman (66’ P) scored from the spot to give Chennaiyin a crucial lead, ultimately sealing all three points as Hyderabad were left to rue their wastefulness in front of goal, especially in the first half. Hyderabad, whose average age of its Indian players in the lineup was just 24, was dealt a major blow early on with Halicharan Narzary limping off in under 10 minutes.

That did not deter their resolve to stamp their impression as former ATK Mohun Bagan man Edu Garcia’s shot was cleared away in a hurry but Bartholomew Ogbeche could not follow through.

Chennaiyin had goalkeeper Vishal Kaith to thank for keeping the former champions in the game. The Himachal Pradesh-born was tested a few times but he emerged unscathed.

Hyderabad were in fact wasteful in the opportunities the brittle Chennaiyin defence gave them. Ogbeche missed more than handy chances but substitute Nikhil Poojary’s work-rate near the box only gained him new admirers.

Kyrgyz playmaker Mirlan Murzaev almost gave Chennaiyin a glimmer of hope late in the first half, but his header went off-target from a darting cross in by Reagan Singh.

Chennaiyin carried over the momentum post the break. Mirlan Murzaev and Lallianzuala Chhangte proved hard to contain. Chhangte arguably had the best chance of the night when he beat Akash Mishra on the run, cut in and shot hard, only to be tipped off by Kaith.

New captain Anirudh Thapa then made it count for his side winning a penalty as he was brought down by Hitesh Sharma inside the box.

Former AS Monaco man Vlagyimir Koman stepped up to deliver a powerful piledriver that gave goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani no chance, breaking the deadlock with little over 20 minutes to play. Chennaiyin led against the run of play leaving Manolo Marquez to make four changes at a go. Joel Chianese, Javi Siverio, Sahil Tavora and young striker Rohit Danu were introduced in the 77th minute.

South Africa A dominated the proceedings with the bat, with captain Peter Malan (157*) and Tony de Zorzi (117) scoring hundreds against India A on Day 1 of the first four-day game in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

India A toiled hard with the ball as the hosts ended Day 1 of the first four-day game at 343/3.

After captain Priyank Panchal won the toss and put South Africa A into the bat, Navdeep Saini and Arzan Nagwaswalla landed early blows. While Saini, celebrating his birthday, dismissed Sarel Erwee for a duck in the first over, Nagwaswalla got Raynard van Tonder out three overs later to reduce South Africa A to 2/14. Malan and de Zorzi then joined forces and denied India A any immediate success despite the toil. The pair put on a solid show with the bat and added 217 runs together.

India A was then provided with a much-needed breakthrough as speedster Umran Malik disturbed the timber to dismiss de Zorzi for 117.

Jason Smith replaced de Zorzi in the middle. Meanwhile, South Africa A captain Malan continued his good work with the bat and moved past the 150-run mark and went on to add another solid partnership – 112* runs – with Smith, who scored an unbeaten 51 at stumps.

Brief Scores: South Africa A 343/3 (Peter Malan 157*, Tony de Zorzi 117; Umran Malik 1/43) vs India A.

The 2nd edition of the Lanka Premier League 2021 will be officiated by a highly recognised Match Referee Panel and an Umpiring Panel, respectively, consisting of Chief Match Referee of the ICC, Ranjan Madugalle, and ICC Elite Panel Umpire Kumar Dharmasena.

This is the 2nd consecutive time both officials will be operating at the Lanka Premier League 2021, which is Sri Lanka’s topmost domestic T20 tournament, with an international flavour. Madugalle, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees has refereed in eight ICC Cricket World Cups, including the finals of 1999, 2003, 2015, 2019, and in the recently conducted ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and will be joined by Graeme Labrooy and Wendell Labrooy, who are members of the International Panel of ICC Match Referees.

Manoj Mendis, a First Class Match Referee of Sri Lanka too will join the Panel of LPL Match Referees. In the meantime, Kumar Dharmasena is a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, who won the ICC David Shepherd Trophy for Umpire of the Year in 2012 and 2018.

Dharmasena will be joined by Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Raveendra Wimalasiri, Lyndon Hannibal, and Prageeth Rambukwella, who are members of the ICC International Panel of Umpires.

Apart from them, Deepal Gunawardena, Hemantha Botheju, Keerthi Bandara, Asanga Jayasuriya, Rohitha Kottahachchi, and Raveendra Kottahachchi, who are Level 01 Umpires officiating in Sri Lanka’s First Class Domestic Cricket will also take up officiating duties during the LPL.

The Lanka Premier League will commence on the December 5 and will be played at the RPICS, Colombo, whilst the league will move into MRICS, Hambantota, to work out the knock-out stage of the competition. The finals of the competition will be played on December 23.

Australia head coach Justin Langer is not a part of the panel picked by Cricket Australia (CA) to pick the next Test skipper.

As per a report in Sydney Morning Herald, a joint committee has been selected comprising CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley, chair Richard Freudenstein, and fellow director Mel Jones. The committee will now look at all the captaincy nominees before they go to the CA board. The entire process for picking the next skipper may take a week.

All the captaincy nominees will be interviewed by the joint committee where they will be asked to share their vision for the men’s Test team. Tim Paine had stepped down as the captain of the side ahead of the much-awaited Ashes opener.

According to cricket.com.au, Paine announced his resignation as Test skipper following revelations of a ‘sexting’ incident with a former Cricket Tasmania colleague in 2017. Paine “deeply regretted” the incident and said he was “enormously” grateful to his wife and family for the forgiveness.

“I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years,” cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying.

Meanwhile, asmania Chairman Andrew Gaggin feels Cricket Australia (CA) should have backed Tim Paine as the former skipper has been “instrumental” in salvaging the reputation of the Australian side following the Sandpaper Gate fiasco.

According to cricket.com.au, Paine announced his resignation as Test skipper following revelations of a ‘sexting’ incident with a former Cricket Tasmania colleague in 2017. Cricket Australia (CA) has admitted that the governing body would have sacked Paine as a skipper if they would have been in charge in 2018. But Gaggin hit out at Cricket Australia (CA) saying that the governing body has been “appalling” with their treatment towards Paine.

“In conversations I have had in recent days, it is clear the anger amongst the Tasmanian cricket community and the general public is palpable,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Gaggin as saying.

“Tim Paine has been a beacon for Australian cricket over the past four years and instrumental in salvaging the reputation of the national team after the calamity of Cape Town.

“Yet, at a time when CA should have supported Tim, he was evidently regarded as dispensable. The treatment afforded to the Australian Test captain by CA has been appalling, and the worst since Bill Lawry 50 years ago,” he added.

The Cricket Tasmania Chairman backed Paine and said the exchange of messages occurred between two mature adults consensually. “The Cricket Tasmania Board reaffirmed its view that Paine should not have been put in a position where he felt the need to resign over an incident that was determined by an independent inquiry at the time to not be a breach of the Code of Conduct and was a consensual and private exchange that occurred between two mature adults and was not repeated,” said Gaggin.

Following the resignation of Paine as Australia Test skipper, Cricket Australia (CA) informed that star batter Steve Smith is available for the role of captaincy.

Team India batsman KL Rahul has sustained a muscle strain on his left thigh and has been ruled out of the upcoming 2-match Test series against New Zealand.

He will now undergo rehabilitation at NCA in preparation for the series against South Africa scheduled next month. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Suryakumar Yadav as KL Rahul’s replacement.

The first Test between India and New Zealand begins on November 25, 2021, in Kanpur.

‘DRAVID’S EXPERIENCE WILL HELP’

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels new head coach Rahul Dravid’s rich experience in the longer format will definitely help the Test side grow as a team.

After securing a thumping T20I series win over New Zealand, India under the coaching of Dravid will face New Zealand in the two-match Test series which gets underway from Thursday. Dravid, who has played 164 Tests for India, will offer a great amount of guidance to the young guns, according to Pujara.

“After the WTC we all were hurt but we came back strongly in England and we played very good cricket. Now the team is back together, confident and new coach Rahul bhai is there,” said Pujara in the virtual press conference.

“That will help most of the players, especially the young players, who have worked with Rahul bhai during the Under-19 and India A series.

“And even someone like us, who are experienced players. I have played with Rahul bhai and worked with Rahul bhai during the A series. All of us are looking for his guidance. The amount of experience he has as a player and coach that will help the team,” he added.

Pujara isn’t concerned about the New Zealand pace attack having already weathered the storm in 2017.

“We have our strategies prepared against Neil Wagner and we have also played him in 2017, so we know how he bowls in Indian conditions so we will plan accordingly,” said Pujara.

The India batter is a key cog in the batting wheel of the Indian team but has failed to score a Test ton in recent times.

‘RAHANE JUST ONE INNINGS AWAY FROM RETURNING TO FORM’

Pujara backed stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane to get back among the runs in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

India and New Zealand will lock horns in the two-match Test series which gets underway from Thursday. Pujara said Rahane is just one hundred away from roaring back to form as the batter has been working hard in the nets ahead of the series.

“He (Rahane) is a great player, there are times when a player goes through a tough time and that’s a part of this game. There can be ups and downs but I feel he is a confident player. He is someone who works hard on his game and I am sure he is just one innings away from gaining back the form,” said Pujara in the virtual press conference.

“Once he gets back to scoring runs, he will be back in form. He has been working hard in the nets. So he is a good touch, hoping that he scores big runs in this series,” he added.

Neil Wagner, Ross Taylor and New Zealand head coach Gary Stead have admitted that spin will be a major threat to the Kiwis but Pujara said India will not take the visitors lightly going into the Test.

“We have that advantage but we can’t take the New Zealand team lightly at all. They have played excellent cricket and they are a good side in all formats, so we will stick to our game plans.

“There will be strategies but overall, we will focus on our game plans, New Zealand is a competitive team and we won’t take them lightly at all,” Pujara said while replying to a query from ANI.

Earlier in the day, Stead informed that all New Zealand players are available for selection for the first Test which gets underway from Thursday. The first Test between India and New Zealand begins on Thursday in Kanpur.

India’s Test squad: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.