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Tag: DDCA

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Delhi cricket’s steep slide: Association sits on report that flagged what’s wrong

The Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) has a “compromised and conflicted” selection process that bypasses the chief selector and is marked by “rampant interference” of its officials.This is the key point flagged in a scathing indictment by DDCA’s Technical Expert Group (TEG) in the wake of Delhi’s dismal showing last season. The group, chosen by DDCA, includes two 1983 World Cup winners Madan Lal and Sunil Valson and first-class player Vinay Lamba, was set up before the start of the 2022-23 season. Delhi had finished sixth in Group B in last season’s Ranji Trophy and failed to qualify for  the knockouts this season too. The TEG report, submitted last March, is part of a police complaint filed in December 2023 at the IP Estate Police Station by one Avdesh Sharma, that names top DD...
Sports

DDCA Launches High Performance Academy to Curb Selection Politics | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a first in the history of Delhi cricket, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has started its own High Performance Academy (HPA) from Saturday. DDCA has tied up with the Delhi government and obtained a ground in Bharat Nagar in north Delhi for the round-the-year academy.The development has come at a time when Delhi’s teams across age groups have been struggling in BCCI tournaments for a couple of seasons.Former India batter Gursharan Singh, former India fast bowler Parvinder Awana and former Delhi wicket-keeper Devendra Sharma have been appointed as coaches.In a bid to formulate a programme on the lines of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), the HPA is also aimed at curbing selection politics in state teams by DDCA administrators. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley ...
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Ranji Trophy: Captain Yash Dhull sacked after Delhi suffer 9-wicket loss to Puducherry at home | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Monday morning was one of the darkest ones in the history of Delhi cricket. They lost to Puducherry, a team that started playing First-Class cricket five years ago, by nine wickets at home in their opening match of the Ranji Trophy season.While the jubilation in the Puducherry camp was understandable, Delhi’s abject surrender to such an inexperienced team has brought the focus back on the infamous structure that has plagued Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).As expected, the selectors came up with a knee jerk reaction and decided to sack Yash Dhull as the captain for the next match in Jammu. Himmat Singh has been handed the responsibility to lead the team while Ayush Badoni has been retained as vice-captain.“It was selectors’ decision to relieve Yash of the captain...
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World Cup 2023: Delhi ready with four new pitches, full ground cover | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Arun Jaitley Stadium is all decked up for the upcoming World Cup. As the ICC World Cup Trophy made a stop at the venue here on Thursday, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) asked its ground staff, headed by chief curator Ankit Datta, to do the unveiling even as other senior administrators were present at the ceremony. This was a gesture from the association to acknowledge the hours put in by the staff to get the venue in shape.After the IPL earlier this year, ground staff swung into action to make two new pitches on the centre square, along with two new strips in the practice areas. The square was dug up one-and-a-half feet to create the two extra pitches on either side of the main square, besides preparing one new pitch each at the practice area. The proces...
Sports

Former India opener Devang Gandhi appointed as head coach for Delhi Ranji team

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. ...
Sports

Disgruntled Dhruv Shorey leaves Delhi for Vidarbha, Nitish Rana also asks for NOC to leave state

North Zone batter Dhruv Shorey. | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K. There seems to be no end to troubles for Delhi cricket as former skipper Nitish Rana and last year's top run-getter in Ranji Trophy Dhruv Shorey have decided to ply their trade for other states in order to play all three formats in the next domestic season.A lot of people in DDCA are still unaware that Shorey, a red ball specialist has already signed contract with Vidarbha Cricket Association as a professional which will obviously help him earn over and above his match fee."Yes, Dhruv (Shorey) has already signed a contract with us and he along with former Test batter Karun Nair will play for Vidarbha during the upcoming domestic season," a VCA official confirmed the development.As far as Rana is concerned, there are rumo...
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Former captain Nitish Rana and top run-scorer Dhruv Shorey want to leave Delhi | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former skipper Nitish Rana and last year's leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy, Dhruv Shorey, have applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the DDCA to play for other states during the upcoming domestic season.The development was confirmed on Friday by DDCA joint secretary Rajan Manchanda, who also guaranteed that both cricketers will be spoken to and given a patient hearing to determine why they have made such a decision."Yes, it is true that both Dhruv and Nitish want to leave Delhi and have sought NOC. We will definitely request them to stay as both are senior players and have served Delhi cricket. But the final decision will be theirs. If they don't agree, we will certainly give them NOC," Manchanda told PTI.Rana, who was the white ball captain until last year...
Sports

ICC recce: DDCA set to add two new pitches, 4 radio commentary boxes as part of World Cup upgrade | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) will add two more practice pitches to the main square of the Feroz Shah Kotla besides replacing 15,000 old bucket seats for the ODI World Cup, joint secretary Rajan Manchanda said on Tuesday.A two-member recce team comprising former BCCI general manager and current Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra inspected the the facilities at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where five World Cup games will be played."They would be giving us a final report in a week's time and intimate us about everything they want to be done before the start of the World Cup. From our end, we are adding two more strips to the existing ones on the main turf for convenience of training," Manchanda told PTI on the day.It was learnt that the ICC team was happy with ...
Sports

Delhi Capitals to invest in Arun Jaitley stadium upgradation | Cricket News – Times of India

In a first, Capitals & DDCA agree to work in tandem for stadium's upkeepNEW DELHI: Delhi and District Cricket Association's (DDCA) has entered into an agreement with IPL franchise Delhi Capitals to look after the maintenance and upgrade of the Arun Jaitley stadium, previously known as Ferozshah Kotla.TOI has learnt that the Capitals management is taking an active interest in helping the association look after the stadium. This is a rare move in Indian cricket where a franchise has taken it upon itself to help maintain its home venue beyond the IPL season.Top officials from the Capitals management, including co-owner Parth Jindal, met DDCA president Rohan Jaitley and directors a couple of weeks ago. The meeting ended in an agreement that would see Capitals more involved in maintainin...
Sports

Arun Jaitley Stadium to undergo major renovation ahead of ODI World Cup, DDCA aims to enhance fan experience | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, set to host five matches during the upcoming ODI World Cup in October-November, is undergoing a significant renovation worth Rs 20-25 crore. The move comes after criticism was directed at the venue earlier this year for its lack of basic hygiene, particularly in the washrooms.Following a Gap assessment conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in April, it was revealed that Delhi, along with Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Mohali, required substantial upgrades. However, Mohali did not make the final list of ten World Cup venues announced on Tuesday.India's passion for cricket has soared over the past decade, with the BCCI raking in billions from broadcast rights. However, the comfort and needs of the fans have often been negle...
Sports

Delhi cricket support staff across age groups awaits contracts long after season is over

Ranji Trophy final cricket match between Bengal and Saurashtra. | Photo Credit: PTI The domestic season for the Delhi senior team got over last month but members of the support staff are still awaiting their coaching contracts from the Delhi District and Cricket Association (DDCA).The same is the case with the support staff of the U-19 and U-25 squads. The U-19 season got over for Delhi in December while the U-25 team played its last game a week ago.Expectedly, none of the support staff across age groups wanted to speak on the matter on record when PTI contacted them.Abhay Sharma coached the Delhi senior team from October-January without a contract and the same for U-25 coach Pankaj Singh, U-19 coach Jaswant Rai and other members of the support staff.A source in the DDCA said the supp...
Sports

DDCA Mess: Delhi head coach Abhay Sharma might be shown the door | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Delhi head coach Abhay Sharma's days could be numbered as the Cricket Advisory Committee led by Nikhil Chopra, Gursharan Singh and Reema Malhotra are set to sack the former Railways skipper for the team's non-performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.Delhi have two points from four games and are in danger of finishing last in the group.Abhay's decisions have come under the scanner and none of the top brass are happy with him."After the selection committee being handed pink slip, Abhay can't escape the axe as he is equally responsible for this debacle. Selectors have selected the squad but what kind of XI is being chosen by him," a senior DDCA director told PTI on condition of anonymity.Abhay had pipped former India off-spinner Sarandeep Singh to the head coach's post and many i...
Sports

Delhi cricket sacks selectors after team’s innings loss to Saurashtra

The senior selection committee of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), including former national selector Gagan Khoda, was sacked late on Thursday after the team’s humiliating innings and 214-run defeat against Saurashtra inside three days. The other two selectors who were sacked are Mayank Sidhana and Anil Bhardwaj. The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) sacked the selectors a few hours after DDCA president Rohan Jaitley, in a letter to the Apex Council members and the CAC, blamed the Khoda-led Selection committee for their “scant commitment” towards the Delhi cricket. DDCA director Shyam Sharma confirmed that the selectors were asked to go. “The selection committee has been sacked by the CAC today,” Sharma told The Indian Express. Four matches, two points and a seventh-pla...
Sports

Ranji Debacle: DDCA sacks selection panel after president Rohan Jaitley’s scathing mail to Apex Council | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Thursday sacked the senior selection committee comprising former national selector Gagan Khoda, Mayank Sidhana and Anil Bhardwaj on the same day when the state team was decimated by Saurashtra in a Ranji Trophy group league game.Delhi senior team on Thursday slumped to an innings and 214 run defeat against Saurashtra and now has two points from four games having encountered two outright defeats.On the first day, Delhi had slumped to 10 for 7 inside the first hour on a damp wicket and it could have been even more embarrassing.A day after PTI reported the mess in DDCA post the "walkout" by Sidhana after a falling out with Khoda over the selection of the U-25 team, a visibly upset president Rohan Jaitley shot off a scathing ...
Sports

‘Substantial improvement’ in Rishabh Pant’s condition, says close family aide | Cricket News – Times of India

DEHRADUN (U'khand): There is substantial improvement in the condition of cricketer Rishabh Pant and doctors are yet to decide if he has to be shifted to some other facility, according to his family friends and others who visited him at the hospital here on Saturday.Pant's mother Saroj Pant and his sister Sakshi, who arrived from London on Saturday morning, are with him at the hospital, they said.DDCA director Shyam Sharma and Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher were among those who met Pant at the hospital."There are no immediate plans to shift him anywhere as his condition has improved substantially since yesterday,' said Umesh Kumar who has been constantly with the family at the Max Hospital here."A plastic surgery on his forehead had been performed on Friday itself. Its firs...
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Rishabh Pant likely to be shifted to Delhi: DDCA Director monitoring his health | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Delhi & District Cricket Association Director Shyam Sharma said a DDCA team will be at Max Hospital in Dehradun to monitor star Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant's health, who met with a terrible accident a day back, and if needed the batter-wicketkeeper would be airlifted to Delhi for his plastic surgery.Pant met with a serious accident while returning from Delhi to Roorkee as his car collided with the divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal on Friday.Sharma said that Pant might be airlifted to the national capital for further surgery as he suffered multiple injuries in the car crash.The 25-year-old was alone in the car and suffered injuries on his back, forehead and leg.Talking to ANI, Sharma said: "A team of Delhi & District Cricket Association ...