Qaiser Mohammad Ali
At long last, the DDCA on Wednesday announced two selection committees, but the shameless greed of power-hungry administrators continued mudslinging over the choice Ajay Jadeja as new Delhi coach for Ranji Trophy.
It is learnt that the selection committees was constituted with active consultation of someone powerful not directly associated with the day to day affairs of the DDCA. But not all top guns at the DDCA are happy with what they called “interference from the top”, and the “unusual active role” played by the three government nominees.
Unlike previous years, this time only two selection committees have been announced – one for the Ranji Trophy and the under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy, and the other for the under-14, under-16, and under-19 teams.
Former Delhi captain Vinay Lamba has been named the chairman of the senior selection panel, with Hari Gidwani and Rahul Sanghvi being the other selectors. Jadeja will also be part of the panel while DDCA sports secretary Sunil Dev is convenor.
Former India spinner Nikhil Chopra is chairman of the junior panel, with former Delhi pacer Suresh Luthra and ex-India pacer Sunil Valson, now employed with GMR, the owner of the IPL Delhi Daredevils team, are the other members. DDCA joint secretary (sports) Salil Seth has been named convenor.
But after the selection committees were constituted at a place far away from the Ferozeshah Kotla, the mere ritual of announcement again presented a sad picture as two top administrators – DDCA vice-presented CK Khanna and Sunil Dev – sent out a total of three press releases.
Interestingly, three different had announced varied number of probable for the Ranji Trophy a few days ago.
But on Wednesday, Khanna first issues a press statement, which contained Jadeja’s name besides the selection panels, but apparently in the hurry to send it he forgot to sign it. Soon, Sunil Dev issued a release without Jadeja’s name. Then, Khanna sent out the same press statement, but this time he signed it.
Meanwhile, senior cricketers, including Gautam Gambhir, skipped the Ranji probables’ practice session as Delhi’s preparation for the new, 2015-16 season went completely went haywire.
Delhi’s women cricketers are in a bigger mess, despite their first under-19 being just six days ago.
All in all, the last word in this thick mess of the DDCA is yet to be said.