While cricket was reverberating much to the pride of all, the din in the political corridors of RCA was jarring
The more things change, the more they stay the same. These words by a 19th century French journalist Jean-Baptise Alphonse Karr aptly describe the last 12 months of Rajasthan cricket. 2017 began on a promising note with five players from the state being picked up by different franchises for IPL. It was overwhelming to see how the left-arm pacer was pursued by one and all in the higher echelons of BCCI and its immediate sequel was that he was bought at a pretty high price of 2 crore at the auction. The then coach of Team India Anil Kumble even went on to say that the pacers Nathu Singh and Aniket Choudhary are on radar for future. While cricket was reverberating much to the pride of all, the din in the political corridors of RCA was jarring.
The perennially fighting factions - Lalit Modi and CP Joshi camps, trumpeted about holding elections on the lines of Lodha recommendations with an eye on getting the 4-year long ban lifted from Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), but from the very outset things were murky. Amid all the melodrama, CP Joshi was elected the president of RCA, but the lust for power and supremacy of the warring office bearers from both the camp rendered the association ineffective. The number of court hearings outnumbered the number of matches held at SMS Stadium in the year 2017.
BCCI too enacted their part in the plot and their reluctance to repeal the ban finally had Lalit Modi submit his resignation from all things cricket in the state. The very wary, apex cricket body lifted the ban almost 4 months after the resignation came, but with strings attached.
While the political drama refused to cease, the promising players silently slipped into anonymity in the absence of any support. Now they are not in the ‘scheme of things’ of BCCI with new names from other states have come up. Now, one can only rue and regret, thinking—how it would have been had the talented Aniket and Nathu got the support from the association to hone their skills. Moreover, it would have also helped Team Rajasthan to not end their Ranji Trophy run at the bottom of the table.
Curtains down on yet another year of frustration for the cricketers and fans alike.
TICKING SCORECARD
February 20: IPL 2017 Auction
June 2: RCA Election
July 14: Rajasthan Royals Back in Fold
August 12: Lalit Modi Resigned as Prez of Nagaur DCA
December 11: BCCI Lifted the Ban from RCA
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