Neelam Obi to lead Arunachal Pradesh in Ranji Trophy after BCCI-appointed panel picks squad

Itanagar, Oct 15 (IANS) Neelam Obi will captain Arunachal Pradesh in their next three Ranji Trophy matches after a three-member selection panel appointed by the BCCI named a 15-member squad, following an administrative crisis that forced the state to forfeit its season opening game. 

Kamsha Yangfo has been named vice-captain, while former Assam cricketer Sujay Tarafdar will take charge as head coach. Salil Malhotra, who played two first-class games for Delhi, has been included as the guest player.

The panel also picked a 15-member Under-23 squad for Arunachal's first three matches in the Col C K Nayudu Trophy, with Leki Tsering as captain and Techi Tado as the vice-captain. The selections come in the wake of turmoil in the Arunachal Cricket Association (ARCA), where a legal dispute between two factions in the Guwahati High Court-Itanagar Bench left the state unable to field a side for its Plate Group opener against Nagaland in Ahmedabad.  

It was the first game to be forfeited in the Ranji Trophy in 17 years. Apart from this, the state couldn’t field teams in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and Under-19 Women’s T20 Trophy. The BCCI then intervened to oversee team selection, citing the interests of the players in the ongoing domestic season.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had told IANS on Tuesday that an independent selection committee of former Assam cricketers Satya Gopal Chakraborty, Jayanta Choudhury and Deep Borah, with Chakraborty as chairman, held trials at the Delhi Public School in Itanagar to select players for the Ranji Trophy, U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy, Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and Vijay Merchant Trophy.

BCCI Apex Council member M K Khairul Jamal Majumdar was appointed as the convener of the trials and the subsequent selection process. With teams now in place, Arunachal Pradesh will hope to put the off-field uncertainty behind them and turn their attention to putting their best foot forward in the rest of the domestic season.

Arunachal Pradesh squads: 

Ranji Trophy: Neelam Obi (captain), Kamsha Yangfo (vice-captain), Nabam Kama, Licha Jhon, Myendung Singpo, Techi Doria, Biki Kumar, Mibom Mosu, Yorjum Sera, Yab Niya, Nabam Tempol, Techi Neri, Likha Sonia, Nabam Dol, Salil Malhotra (guest player).

Stand-bys: Nabam Totu, Nabam Josh, Techi Sania, Darge Bagra, Shuhel Aktar Ansari, Penjor Mangol, Techi Sonam, Akhilesh Sahani, Chandhan Kr Singh, Techi Tiklee, Rakesh Kumar.

U-23 Col C K Nayudu Trophy: Leki Tsering (captain), Techi Tado (vice-captain), Aman Pisa, Takam Jacob, Amarjeet Sharma, Nabam Abo, Sosar Kakum, Rajesh Rebi, Techi Dol, Nabam Indiya, Passang Norbu, Shiva Kumar, Gollo Agha, Loli Yangfo, Nini Mibang.

Stand-bys: Gibbson Cheda, Nabam Ram, Nabam Rikam, Nabam Jesh, Gemar Taipodia, Kabak Yakup, Yowa Topu, Nabam Reekam, Tsering Tashi, Chubing Chege

--IANS

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