Sports · Cricket · 1 hr ago
Gavaskar urges organisers to avoid India A clashes with Ranji Trophy
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the timing of India A matches alongside the Ranji Trophy, India’s main domestic first-class cricket competition.
The latest season began on the same day as the final one-day match between India A and Australia A. Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad were unavailable for their state teams because of the match.
Gavaskar says India A games can help identify players suited to international cricket, but should not be scheduled during domestic competitions.
He also argues that including all states and Union Territories in the Ranji Trophy has lowered the standard, and that records from its Plate division should not automatically be compared with those from the Elite groups.
In the current format, the Plate division’s top two teams play a final, and the winner moves up to the Elite group the next season.
India A is due to travel to New Zealand later this month for three unofficial Tests, so some players may again miss matches for their state teams.
Sunil Gavaskar urged cricket organisers not to schedule India A matches during domestic competitions, especially the Ranji Trophy.
The Ranji Trophy season opened on Sunday as India A played the third and final one-day match of its series against Australia A.
The clash made Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad unavailable for their state teams.
Gavaskar said India A matches can help identify players suited to international cricket, but should not weaken domestic competition.
He also argued that including Plate teams had lowered the Ranji Trophy’s overall standard.
- Who
- Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar urged organisers to avoid the scheduling clash.
- What
- India A matches coincided with the Ranji Trophy, making three named players unavailable for their state teams.
- When
- The Ranji Trophy began on Sunday, the same day as the third and final India A-Australia A one-day match. India A was due to travel to New Zealand later that month.
- Where
- The Ranji Trophy is a domestic competition in India; India A was due to tour New Zealand.
- Why
- Gavaskar said clashes weaken domestic competition and can make it harder to judge players’ performances.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
There’s a case for more A team matches, but not when the domestic competitions, especially the Ranji Trophy, are on.
When the Lodha panel recommended that all states and Union Territories should be included in the Ranji Trophy, it just meant that the standard got lowered.
Most of the new state teams did not even have proper infrastructure and so hired players from …
The Ranji Trophy season began on the same day as the third and final one-day match between India A and Australia A.
India A was due to travel to New Zealand for three unofficial Tests.
- Ranji Trophy opening
- Sunday
- India A-Australia A series
- Third and final one-day match coincided with the Ranji Trophy opening
- Unavailable players
- Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad
- India A tour
- Three unofficial Tests in New Zealand
- Ranji Trophy groups
- A, B, C, D and Plate
Sources
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