CHENNAI: The BCCI on Sunday said it will start the domestic season with Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s, from January 10-31. This is good news for the state units and players, who were eagerly waiting to return to action after a long break caused by the pandemic. But that is not the case with three
associations from Maharashtra, who face an uphill task of starting from scratch if they wish to field their teams in the tournament.
Maharashtra is among the states worst-hit by the virus outbreak. The state government has not yet allowed outdoor sporting activities. The three associations — Mumbai, Maharashtra, Vidarbha — have not been able to do anything. From Physical conditioning, net practice to selecting teams, everything has to be done in 20-odd days. Till now, they are not allowed to train outdoors as a team. This makes their task even tougher.
“We have a meeting on Monday to discuss this. Now that the dates have been announced, we have to sort things out quickly. As of now, no relaxation has been announced in the state. So there is a possibility that our team will start training after reaching the designated centre on January 2,” Riyaz Bagwan, secretary of the Maharashtra unit, told this daily.
The BCCI will host the T20s in six cities in bio-secure hubs. Teams have been told to reach their respective venues by January 2. Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) also has meetings lined up in the next few days to chart the course of action. “We’ll consult all stakeholders before drawing a plan,” said Anand Jaiswal, VCA president.
The situation is more complicated as far as Mumbai Cricket Association is concerned. It has interviewed candidates for the coach’s post, but could not proceed with the process due to circumstances. A few members are not happy with the current dispensation, accusing it of favouritism. Amid the turmoil, they now have a tough task. “An Apex Council meeting is scheduled next week. We are hoping to select a team by December 20. As far as preparations go, we are mulling various options,” said an MCA office-bearer.