Srinagar: Former J&K star cricketers Samiullah Beigh and Abid Nabi have urged the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) to work transparently so that everyone has an equal chance in J&K cricket.
Former cricketers have slammed the JKCA for not operating in a transparent manner. The recent criticism has focused on the manner in which the senior men’s coaching camp is held.
For the last two to three days JKCA has started caching camp for the senior men’s cricket team for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy campaign. For the camp, JKCA has it has selected 13 cricketers from Kashmir province and 25 from Jammu province.
The way these players have been shortlisted has not been explained.
Now the former star cricketers have come out and asked JKCA to be transparent in its ways and stop personal likes and dislikes.
“Although I am no more associated with JKCA, I would suggest former cricketers associated with the association to be transparent and fair in selections,” said former cricketer Samiullah Beigh.
“As a senior player and also as a captain I did my bit to put an end to the Quota system as well as Jammu vs Kashmir divide in the J&K Ranji trophy team,” he said.
He asked JKCA to shun personal likes and dislikes.
“Now that Subcommittee incharge of JKCA has done the right thing by roping in former cricketers as CAC, Selectors and Coaches, high time these former cricketers set aside personal likes, dislikes, any dictates from the top and ensure merit-based selections,” he said.
“All former Cricketers associated with JKCA must remember that ultimately they will have to sit with the cricketing fraternity and justify each and every decision taken during their tenure,” he added.
Abid Nabi who is a well-known name when it comes to cricket in J&K has also lashed out at JKCA for not being transparent.
“The current JKCA set-up is not working in a transparent manner and players are not getting a fair chance to prove their talent. The camp has been organised without knowing how players were shortlisted. For T20 campaign, players who did well in Test format have been included,” he said.
“Atleast for the coaching camp, JKCA should have included 25 players from the Kashmir region as well. Another point is about coaches and support staff that is around 90 percent from Jammu region or outside J&K. Don’t know on what basis that has been done,” Abid revealed.
Abid said that he tried to get answers from JKCA Srinagar in charge Majid Dar who expressed his helplessness.
“I asked the same question to JKCA Srinagar Incharge. He replied that he is only concerned about cricket development and has no say in the appointment of coaches and support staff. He also said he has no role in the selection of teams. I told him that he should then leave this chair,” Abid said
When contacted JKCA Sub-Committee member Mithun Manhas didn’t respond.