In DDCA, fear of ‘outsiders’ being named Delhi selectors, coaches again

The Delhi Premier League (DPL) T20 has concluded with West Delhi Lions (WDL) emerging as champions. Yet, preparation for the real test of cricket—national tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy—has not even begun.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has not announced the selection committees or coaching staff for various teams, with all its focus directed at the DPL.

Among the notable performers in DPL-2 were Central Delhi Kings’ (CDK) Yash Dhull and WDL captain Nitish Rana. Arpit Rana of East Delhi Riders, who scored 495 runs in 11 matches, and Sarthik Ranjan of North Delhi Strikers, with 449 runs in 9 matches, were the tournament’s top scorers. Dhull, who tallied 435 in eight games, carried his form into the ongoing Duleep Trophy, while Ayush Badoni, struggling with South Delhi Superstarz, rediscovered his touch. Both left the DPL midway to join the North Zone team.

After a poor run in the league stage, Nitish roared back into form during the play-offs to lead the Sanjeev Sharma-coached WDL to the title, beating CDK in the final. Returning to Delhi this year after representing Uttar Pradesh for two seasons, Nitish’s exemplary batting was central to his team’s triumph. He ended the tournament with 393 runs in 11 matches and may be appointed Delhi captain in one of the three formats this season.

Among bowlers, CDK’s Money Grewal and Simarjeet Singh topped the charts with 20 wickets each, while Rajneesh Dadar of Purali Delhi 6 claimed 19 scalps.

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Focus missing on Ranji Trophy

While DDCA mandarins basked in the limelight of the glamorous DPL, shockingly there was little discussion about the forthcoming national multi-day and one-day competitions. The Ranji Trophy is set to begin on October 15, yet no roadmap has been unveiled to address Delhi’s dismal run in recent years.

Delhi has crashed out in the preliminary league stage of the Ranji Trophy for five consecutive seasons. The last time they lifted the trophy was 16 years ago, in 2017-18. Inconsistent selection policies, untimely injuries to players, frequent chopping and changing of captains, and knee-jerk decisions have contributed to Delhi’s decline. Compounding this has been the inability of players to demonstrate the temperament required for multi-day cricket.

Wrangling over selection and coaching

Over 300 applications were received for 100-plus positions on selection panels and for coaching and support staff roles. However, interviews were delayed as attention remained fixed on the DPL.

It has emerged that some applicants from outside Delhi were also interviewed and may be picked for key positions. This possibility has sparked criticism from a section of the DDCA opposed to appointing “outsiders.” They argue that only Delhi-based players understand the current crop and the system.

“There is a likelihood that outsiders might be picked as selectors or coaches again, as there is talk that a few non-Delhiites have been interviewed. It should not happen because only Delhi-based players know the current crop of players and the system well, so only the locally available personnel should be chosen,” a Delhi supporter told Patriot.

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History of failed appointments

A few seasons ago, DDCA brought in several outsiders, including former internationals Devang Gandhi from Bengal, Gagan Khoda from Rajasthan, and Pankaj Singh from Rajasthan, in different roles. The experiment backfired, with little impact on Delhi’s fortunes in national tournaments.