4 min readNew DelhiSep 17, 2023 07:24 AM IST
First published on: Sep 16, 2023 at 09:19 PM IST
Former India opener Devang Gandhi has been appointed as the head coach of the Delhi senior team. Gandhi, who has played four Tests and three ODIs for India, has replaced Abhay Sharma, who was sacked following Delhi’s underwhelming show in the last season.
But a fresh controversy has erupted as the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) have reinstated Mayank Sidana as one of the selectors of the Delhi senior team, six months after he was sacked following an ugly in-fighting with the then chief selector Gagan Khoda. Sidana was accused by Khoda and DDCA Siddharth Sahib Singh for trying to push “dubious candidates” for the U-25 team for the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.
The DDCA president Rohan Jaitely has passed the buck onto DDCA’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) chief Nikhil Chopra.
“The appointments were made after consulting with our CAC members Nikhil Chopra and Surinder Khanna. Our CAC head Nikhil Chopra has done a thorough enquiry on whatever happened in the last season. I am sticking with the advice of our CAC members,” Jaitley told The Indian Express.
“We need a clear vision and long-term plans to bring back Delhi cricket where it belongs. We have some exciting young talent and I am sure we will do better this season,” he said.
CAC head Nikhil Chopra declined to make any comment on the issue. The 36-year-old Sidana, who has played 30 first-class matches for Punjab has been picked in the new selection committee, led by former India bowler Robin Singh jr. Former Services batsman Soumik Chatterjee is the third selector.
There has been a further reshuffle of the coaching staff in Delhi cricket. Former Andhra Pradesh seamer V Arvind is the bowling coach. Former Delhi batsman and selector Bantu Singh will take over the role of batting coach. Punit Bisht, 37, former Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman and a veteran of 103 first-class matches will be the new fielding coach. The former India and Rajasthan pacer Pankaj Singh has been reappointed as the head coach of the U-23 side while the India medium pacer Arshdeep Singh’s childhood coach, Jaswant Rai, has been retained as Delhi U-19 head coach.
In January earlier this year, after humiliating innings and 214-run defeat against Saurashtra inside three days, the DDCA president Jaitley had slammed selectors for ‘mud-slinging’ and ‘street-fighting’ and had blamed them for the debacle of Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. Delhi had finished seventh in the Elite Group B with 17 points.
“Despite giving free hand and full support I am pained to note that the selection committee has failed to do any good for the players of Delhi in general and Delhi team in particular. There is an absolute lack of planning for Delhi Cricket is apparent on the face of it more so with regard to the vision and future course as discussed and planned for the long-term goals set out by the management with an objective to bring back the lost glory of Delhi cricket. It is unfortunate that the Selection Committee has shown scant commitment to the same,” Jaitley had written in his letter.
Former India opener Devang Gandhi. (PTI) 
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