Arunachal Pradesh Cricket is in a state of abysmal administrative crisis and the state will be unable to play in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy as it has not turned up to make a team because of a legal dispute between the ACA and Cricket Association of Arunachal Pradesh (ACA).
This has put the state’s domestic cricket in an embarrassing position and also has raised doubts on its bid for Ranji Trophy selection next year.
Arunachal Pradesh was scheduled to begin its Vinoo Mankad Trophy campaign against Sikkim in the Plate Group at the KIIT Cricket Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. But the state association could not complete preparations and field a team. Sikkim will get the points under the BCCI playing conditions.
The situation stems from an internal dispute between rival factions in the Arunachal Cricket Association. Six district cricket bodies— Lower Siang, Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Tawang, West Siang and Papum Pare— have been accused of violations in the association's executive elections and sought fresh polls.
The dispute eventually reached the Itanagar Bench of Gauhati High Court, with an interim stay on the functioning of the state cricket team. The legal uncertainty has left Arunachal Pradesh without a recognised and functioning administration capable of carrying out normal cricketing operations.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the administrative deadlock to IANS, and said the court proceedings had prevented the association from functioning normally. Saikia said the matter was heard during the first week of September, but the court's judgment was still awaited.
"There are two factions in the Arunachal Cricket Association, and they are having a litigation issue in the Guwahati High Court-Itanagar Bench," Saikia told IANS. The stay order had affected the board’s functioning for several months and there was no preparation for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy because there was no working administration in place and we were not sure how to plan for a team, he said.
The effects are not limited to the men's U-19 competition. Arunachal Pradesh's participation in U-19 Women's T20 Trophy also has been affected by the administrative uncertainty. The failure to send a team of all age groups to play is worrying the players, coaches and cricket stakeholders in the state.
The bigger concern now is the Ranji Trophy. The new domestic season will start on October 11 and Arunachal Pradesh is in the Plate Group. The team will be at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to start its campaign against Nagaland. However, it is not clear whether Arunachal Pradesh will be able to participate.
Saikia said the BCCI was waiting for the outcome of the court proceedings and could not intervene while the matter remained sub judice. There is no recognised body that has the power to select players, organise camps or complete the administrative requirements necessary to participate in BCCI competitions.
A source tracking developments told IANS that the situation would put Arunachal Pradesh’s entire domestic season at risk. Several factions have claimed to be the legitimate cricket association while the dispute is still pending in court, he said.
The administrative crisis has put a particular strain on young cricketers who are looking to domestic matches as a route to higher levels of the sport. U-19 competitions allow players to gain competition experience, get into selectors and make their way to senior state and national cricket.
A local source said the situation will be particularly damaging for young players who spend months preparing for national level competitions. Arunachal Pradesh is not playing in competitions and the players will lose the chance to represent their state and show their ability.
Arunachal Pradesh became a full member of the BCCI in 2018 along with other Northeastern states as per the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators. With full membership it opened a door for more participation in the domestic cricket hierarchy of India and a pathway to the national level for players from the state as a whole.
The current dispute is a major setback for that. There is a clear future of the association through the legal process as well as the player’s influence that will be felt at the moment.
The situation also highlights the need for stable administration for state cricket associations. The domestic teams need to be able to conduct trials, choose teams, appoint support staff, organise training camps and arrange travel and fixtures. If an association doesn’t take care of those jobs, players will lose out even when the tournaments are in place.
For Arunachal Pradesh, the immediate priority is to resolve the legal and administrative problems. Without the recognition of a recognised authority, the state is not certain to be included in the BCCI tournaments.
The Ranji Trophy deadline is now particularly important. With the tournament due to take place on October 11 Arunachal Pradesh has not much time to deal with the situation and make the preparations.
The state will not be able to get back into the domestic calendar or will have to miss other matches and the court's decision and the restoration of a functioning cricket administration will be important.
But for the young cricketers of the state, the impact far beyond a single tournament is huge. Continued disruption will affect development of the player in the men’s and women’s age groups and will limit the opportunities of young talent.
The controversy has again put sports administration and athlete development at the center of the discussion as well. The legal issue is still the subject of debate but the players at Arunachal Pradesh are already paying for the administrative crisis that has already sidelined them from major domestic competitions.
