In a major setback for grassroots cricket in the Northeast, young cricketers from Arunachal Pradesh will miss the ongoing Vinoo Mankad Trophy after the state association failed to field a team amid an ongoing legal battle that has brought cricketing activities in the state to a complete standstill.
Arunachal Pradesh were scheduled to begin their campaign against Sikkim in the Plate Group of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy at the KIIT Cricket Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. However, an internal power struggle and a subsequent court stay order have left the state without a functional cricket body, forcing the team to forfeit the fixture. Sikkim are likely to be awarded full points as per the BCCI’s playing conditions.
The impasse stems from a factional dispute within the Arunachal Cricket Association (ACA). Six district associations — Lower Siang, Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Tawang, West Siang and Papum Pare — had alleged widespread violations during the state executive elections and demanded fresh polls.
The legal challenge against president Nabam Vivek and other office-bearers subsequently resulted in an interim stay on the functioning of the association by the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed to IANS that the legal deadlock has also affected Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the U-19 Women’s T20 Trophy.
“There are two factions in the Arunachal Cricket Association, and they are having a litigation issue in the Guwahati High Court-Itanagar Bench. There was some stay order from the High Court about a couple of months ago on the board’s functioning.
“So, due to the issue present in front of that bench, there is no functionary in the Arunachal Cricket Association. The matter was finally heard in the first week of September, but the judgment is yet to be delivered by the bench. So no board is in place there for quite some time and therefore, there was no preparation to constitute a team for this Vinoo Mankad Trophy,” he said to IANS on Thursday.
Ranji Trophy participation under a cloud
The administrative crisis has also raised serious questions over Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, which begins on October 11.
Placed in the Plate Group, Arunachal Pradesh are scheduled to open their campaign against Nagaland at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, their participation remains uncertain as the legal dispute continues.
“As a result, they could not field the team in the junior men’s levels. I don’t know what will happen over them playing in the Ranji Trophy, starting on October 11. Everybody is waiting for the outcome of the court’s verdict. As the matter is sub-judice, the BCCI cannot also step in. Nobody is governing there because of this matter there in the court,” added Saikia.
A source tracking the developments told IANS that the absence of a recognised and functional state body has put Arunachal Pradesh at risk of missing the entire domestic season.
“It sounds bizarre, but two or three different factions are all claiming to be the legitimate Arunachal Cricket Association while fighting each other in the court. With no official body recognised to run operations, no official team can be fielded for BCCI-affiliated competitions.
“For the BCCI to connect with state representatives is virtually impossible because nobody has the authority to speak for Arunachal cricket right now – it’s a completely defunct organisation. There’s been a continuous tussle over who actually controls the association.
“It’s strikingly similar to the administrative impasse the Bihar Cricket Association faced for years, which kept them out of national competitions for long before a functional body came in,” added the source.
Young cricketers pay the price
The administrative tussle has triggered deep concern over the future of Arunachal Pradesh’s men’s and women’s players across age groups.
“It is heartbreaking that our state’s young cricketers have been locked out of the U-19 men’s and women’s national tournaments. The players spend the entire year grinding on the field just to get a shot at representing Arunachal on the national stage, and this absence has hit them hard,” said a local source to IANS.
Arunachal Pradesh were granted full BCCI membership in 2018, alongside other Northeastern states, following the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA).
Lashing out at the ongoing administrative tussle, the source added: “This is what happens when self-interest and the scramble for positions take precedence over the careers of young cricketers. The players are paying the ultimate price – their growth is stalled and their ambitions are being thrown away.
“But the truth will come out eventually. Those at the centre of this need to wake up to the damage being done and put the future of Arunachal’s young talent ahead of their own interests. If we don’t think about the future of these kids now, the state’s cricketing future will be completely lost,” stated the source.
