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KCA grooming players for the IPL

Stan Rayan

KOCHI: For a few years now, there has been a perception of a senior-junior divide in the Kerala Ranji Trophy cricket team. The Kerala Cricket Association has now come up with a unique summer training programme with which it hopes to primarily break the wall between the two groups.

A series of 50-over league matches is now on at the new Perinthalmanna ground in Malappuram following which there will be a group of Twenty20 games. “There have been complaints in Kerala that youngsters don’t get too many chances to play with seniors and to mingle with them,” said T.C. Mathew, the KCA secretary, on Wednesday evening. “So, we selected four teams, with a mix of juniors and seniors, and have arranged a series of one-day matches.”

The juniors and seniors will now not only get to know each other better but the selectors too.

“We will assess the players during the one-dayers and then have a set of Twenty20 matches. We plan to select the Kerala Twenty20 probables after this. Also, a bunch for the next Buchi Babu and Moin-ud-Dowla tournaments,” said Mr. Mathew.

Big names missing

However, a few big names — including last season’s Ranji captain Sony Cheruvathur, V.A. Jagadeesh and fast bowlers Tinu Yohannan and Prasanth Chandran — are missing from the Perinthalmanna event.

“Both Sony (back) and Jagadeesh (shoulder) are taking treatment for injuries. Prasanth Chandran is guiding trainees at the MRF Pace Foundation while Tinu Yohanan is now in the fitness phase at the MRF and is not supposed to play matches,” explained the KCA secretary.

The huge success of the Indian Premier League has been an eye-opener for the KCA, admitted Mr Mathew. “We want to take Twenty20 seriously now. Suppose we do well, four or five of our youngsters will have a good chance of getting into some of the IPL teams next year.

“Also, the BCCI has decided to have the Twenty20 zonals in October this year. But the weather here could be a problem around that time, we may not be able to hold selection trials, so we have decided to have the whole exercise now.”

New format

The KCA is also likely to change the format of the Jacob Trophy — the domestic inter-zone championship through which the Kerala Ranji team has been selected the last few seasons — this year.

“We have been giving the selection of the Ranji team to the whims and fancies of three or four selectors. Also, North Zone has often been weak, so we have to change the format of the Jacob Trophy,” said Mr. Mathew.

“Suppose we select 40 players, break them into three teams, and play a sort of Challenger Series, it would be better.”

The Jacob Trophy format change would be discussed at the KCA general body meeting next month, said Mr. Mathew.

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