Rohan Jaitley sent an email to some of the officials saying, “Therefore, these committees are not only doing harm to the DDCA but also to the game of cricket.” A day after rumours of internal strife and “dubious selection” surfaced, Rohan Jaitley, the president of the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), fired the state’s top selection committee.
Mayank Sidana left a meeting to choose Delhi’s Under-25 team for the forthcoming CK Nayudu Trophy match after selectors Gagan Khoda, the committee head, and Sidana had a public falling out on Tuesday.
A few of the choices selected for Delhi’s Ranji Trophy team for their away game against Saurashtra in Rajkot, which they lost by innings and 214 runs in just three days, are also said to have caused friction between the two parties.
Their choice to start middle-order hitter Ayush Badoni as the opener and bench regular wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat came into sharp focus. Delhi is presently in bottom place in Group B, having lost all four of their games. The team will now be chosen by the DDCA’s Cricket Advisory Committee, which consists of Nikhil Chopra, Gursharan Singh, and Reema Malhotra.
Jaitley sent an email to the members of the CAC and the highest council of the DDCA saying, “The problem of how players are being picked and removed at the drop of a hat has become talk of the town.”
Recently in a meeting, it was reported that a replacement was sent for a senior player who was said to be wounded; however, the replacement while travelling there was also reported to be injured, therefore a second replacement was sent.”
In addition, Jaitley voiced his disappointment that the selection committee chose 20–22 players although the BCCI’s directive called for just 15 players to travel for the away game. The committee repeatedly suggested a 20–22 person roster for each side, even though Jaitley had made it plain that the number of players should be limited to 15–16.
Jaitley was also “hurt” by the selection committee’s “complete lack of preparation” and the skill gap in Delhi. Earlier in the season, Delhi was unable to advance to the knockout stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and was defeated by Vidarbha in the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarterfinals.
Just halfway through the league phase, their Ranji campaign is all but done. There was a time, according to Jaitley, when the Indian team would include at least four to five players from Delhi. Due to the existing circumstances, we are unable to name even one player who might make the national team.
“On the surface, Delhi Cricket’s complete lack of preparation is obvious, especially in light of the vision and future path that have been discussed and planned. It is regrettable that the selection committee has not demonstrated much dedication to the same.”