Despite being signed by clubs in the TNCA first division league, several outstation players have found it hard to actually come down and play here because of commitments with their home associations.
After the first set of six or seven rounds in July-August, it becomes increasingly hard for cricketers from other States to find time for the TNCA first division since Inter-State first class and shorter duration matches commence; there are also training and conditioning camps to attend.
Keeping this in mind, some of the leading clubs might be keen to field star cricketers only in the knock-out matches – semifinals and finals.
There is a good chance that Vijay CC and Gland Slam, both owned by India Cements, will be signing pacemen Mohit Sharma and Ishwar Pandey this season. Both represent the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
A source close to Vijay CC said, “We might just want someone like Mohit to give us that vital edge in the knock-out games. Similarly, Grand Slam might want to have Pandey.”
There is also a possibility that seam bowling star Zaheer Khan could represent Globe Trotters this season.
Every side is allowed two outstation cricketers. Even if a club does not register an ‘away’ player before the last date of June 30, it is allowed to sign a cricketer ahead of the Elite or the Plate League.
TNCA League-sub-Committee chairman M. Sukumaran said to The Hindu , “If a team has a vacant slot for an outstation player, it can sign him before the Elite or the Plate League gets underway. After that stage, it is not possible.”
Can a team replace an ‘outstation’ cricketer once it has signed him?
Last year there was the case of Jolly Rovers roping in Parvez Rasool and then finding out that the Jammu & Kashmir off-spinner would not be available for the matches.
Rovers appealed to the league sub-committee which, taking all things into account, allowed the club to replace Rasool with Maharashtra batsman Ankit Bawne. Mr. Sukumaran said, “Rasool did not play a game and the change was done before the Elite Stage. So it was possible.”
The indications, however, are that the TNCA has hardened its stance vis a vis the replacement of a ‘signed’ cricketer this season.
Several outstation players, though, continue to leave their clubs frustrated. Railways leg-spinner Karn Sharma was signed by Vijay last season but did not show up for any match.
The ‘away’ players, Services’ Yashpal Singh and Railways’ Faiz Fazal, did not turn up for India Pistons once the first set of matches was over leaving the management unhappy.
Given that the league stretches over a period of ten to eleven months, finding a solution can be hard.
