JKCA engaging men from Delhi, Bihar as coaches, ignoring local Ex-Ranji Trophy cricketers

JAMMU, July 9: The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has faced significant criticism regarding its functioning, with allegations of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and a decline in grassroots cricket development. Former Ranji Trophy players, Sports Commentators, sports journalists and officials have raised concerns about the association’s current structure and its impact on the sport in the region.
Reports pouring in of a lack of democratic functioning within the JKCA, with some suggesting that the current administration comprises of two BJP men and one Delhi player is not representative and is hindering the progress of cricket in J&K.
There have been allegations of misuse of position and funds, with some suggesting that resources are not being prioritized for local Ranji Trophy player development and infrastructure, but rather for administrative luxuries. There’s a growing demand for the restoration of a democratically elected JKCA body and a return to transparent and democratic governance.
BCCI while flouting direction of Supreme Court to implement Justice Lodha Committee reports, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), an affiliate unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been under the control of a Sub-Committee since June 2021. This committee was tasked with streamlining operations, implementing reforms, and managing cricketing affairs in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Recently, media reports and statements from the JKCA’s current dispensation suggested that the Supreme Court of India had upheld the newly drafted JKCA constitution.
However, a review of the actual court proceedings reveals that such claims are premature and potentially misleading. Contrary to the claims made by the current JKCA authorities, the Supreme Court has not yet accepted the constitution drafted by the Sub-Committee and the news items published in some dailies are factually incorrect and misleading.
The Sub-Committee, comprising of Mithun Manhas, a former Delhi cricketer who joined JKCA after being sidelined in Delhi, two senior political figures from BJP Jammu and Kashmir Brif (Retd) Anil Gupta and Advicate Sunil Sethi have never played cricket even at school level their inclusion raises eyebrows, as it stands in direct violation of the Lodha Committee reforms, which explicitly prohibit any political office-bearers or those with political affiliations from holding positions in BCCI-affiliated units.
Trios are invoved in controversially selection process and appointment of coaches at Senior level coaches to handle cricket affairs in the Jammu and Kashmir region despite a lack of administrative or technical experience. As the four-year tenure of the Sub-Committee is completed. Local cricketers and former players have begun voicing serious concerns over the erosion of democratic functioning within the JKCA, the lack of grassroots and club-level cricket, once the backbone of cricket in Jammu and Kashmir and stagnation in player development, with activities reduced to annual selection trials.
However, earlier, cricket grounds across Jammu and Kashmir were vibrant with club matches and training camps. Today, cricket has been reduced to formality trials, with little to no opportunity for real talent to emerge. Former Ranji Trophy cricketers from the Jammu and Kashmir have accused
Trios Mithun Manhas Advocate Sunil Sethi and Brif Retd) Anil Gupta of biased and arbitrary conduct. Reports said that these three men committee still continue function despite its tenue of four years has been completed. They are selected coaches for Senior and Junior men and women teams from Bihar or Delhi at the cost of local Ranji Trophy players of Jammu and Kashmir. Former Raji trophy players, coaches across J&K are demanding the immediate restoration of a democratically elected JKCA body.
They told that the cricket cannot progress in J&K unless transparent and democratic governance is reinstated besides reviving Club and grassroots-level cricket.
The discontent among the fromer Ranji Trophy cricketers from J&K and Sports Journalists and JKCA working committee members and administrators continues to grow, with mounting pressure to uphold transparency, democracy, and fairness in the administration of cricket in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.