Nightmare for ex-players to give their time to Delhi cricket: Nikhil Chopra after ruckus at DDCA U-19 camp

DDCA camp for the under-19 probables ran into rough weather as with the Sports Working Committee members stalling proceedings.

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Nikhil Chopra who was chairing the DDCA under-19 camp fumed at the total chaos that ensued. (Source: Express File)

Chaos prevailed at the DDCA camp for the U-19 probables for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. The junior selection committee, chaired by former India player Nikhil Chopra, found the going tough on the opening day with the Sports Working Committee members stalling proceedings and asking the panel to conduct trials for the list released by them and the players suggested by the respective clubs.

The junior selection panel – Salil Seth (convener) and selectors Suresh Luthra, Sunil Walson – didn’t agree to the request initially, but in the interest of the 150-odd cricketers present later devided the camp into two, one for the 79 according to list and the others invited from clubs and the SWC list.

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Early into proceedings, when Seth was marking attendance of the 79 players suggested by the panel, some members of the SWC started shouting, hurled abuses and even ‘pushed’ him. Seth is also the Hony Joint Secretary (Sports).

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“It’s a nightmare for ex-players to give their time to cricket,” fumed Chopra. “The SWC members completely lost it. How can people who have not a held a cricket bat in their life tell us what to do? We former players are trying to improve the structure of cricket in Delhi,” added the for India cricketer. “It was such a transparent process – the probables list. From DDCA League to players who have played BCCI tourneys in the last two years. The SWC members went on to push our convener, and imagine all this happened in front of the players. Our convener will pen this down and file an official complaint for what happened.”

Naresh Sharma, co-convener of the SWC, confirmed the incident, but said they just asked them to take a look at cricketer’s suggested by various clubs too.

“The resolution for the U-19 list was passed in the SWC meeting on Sunday. We covered all cricketers – from the ones who have played BCCI tourneys to the ones suggested by various clubs. We asked the panel to consider our list to which they initially declined. We just didn’t want those players to go home without the net session they had come for,” said Sharma.

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