CHENNAI: Braving challenges including communication clampdown, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has decided to start camps for its senior and junior players in Jammu from September 1.
Already lagging behind as far as preparations for the upcoming domestic season is concerned, the association plans to move around 130 players (30 senior and 100 junior) to Jammu for the purpose.
With communication in the Valley restricted by the government after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370, the association is facing difficulties in getting in touch with players. It has even put out advertisements on local TV channels to communicate with them. Given the situation, the fate of the camps in Jammu depends on attendance.
The JKCA has alternate venues in mind if the plan doesn't work.
“It’s quite challenging to communicate with players in Kashmir due to the clampdown. We have devised a way to contact them. At the moment, the plan is to hold camps for senior and junior cricketers in Jammu and for it to happen, we need to move around 130 players including 30 seniors to the place. We plan to start it on September 1. Once players reach the venue, the support staff including mentor Irfan Pathan will arrive to start preparations for the domestic season,” JKCA CEO Syed Ashiq Ali Bukhari told this newspaper.
The J&K teams were camping in Srinagar when the government announced scrapping of a few provisions of Article 370 on August 5, forcing the players and coaches to leave for their respective places.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy starting on September 24 will be the first assignment for the J&K team in the 2019-20 domestic season.
Meanwhile, a member of the support staff admitted that the association is already in touch with a few state units in case the players find it difficult to move to Jammu.
“Baroda, Karnataka and Andhra are some of the options. The last two have private academies as well where we can practise. But the priority is Jammu, as we want to play a few matches where we camp. A final call can only be taken once we know how many players attend the Jammu camp,” he said.