Cricket in Delhi continues to be unstable. Legendary Virender Sehwag’s stint with the Delhi and District Cricket Association came to an end on Sunday. The entire cricket committee headed by Sehwag and members — Aakash Chopra and Rahul Sanghvi — resigned from the posts citing personal reasons and the paucity of time.
It is learnt from sources that former India seamer Manoj Prabhakar’s appointment as the bowling consultant of the Delhi team was the matter of conflict between the association and the cricket committee. The cricket committee members were handpicked by the newly elected president of DDCA, Rajat Sharma.
The principal task for the Sehwag’s committee was to pick the various selection committees and coaches for the state teams. Prabhakar’s appointment reportedly didn’t go down well with the administration and was not approved for a long time.
With all other recommendations being accepted by the DDCA Executive Committee, Prabhakar’s appointment wasn’t accepted and it is learnt that the cricket committee members were in constant touch with the executive committee, but still couldn’t convince them.
Prabhakar though was recommended by the Delhi bowling unit in the last season which included India pacer Ishant Sharma. Prabhakar’s inputs had helped the Delhi side a great deal in the last season when he was picked as the bowling coach of the Delhi Ranji Trophy side last season.
Former Delhi cricketer Mithun Manhas serving as the coach — approved by the DDCA Executive Committee — but Prabhakar’s appointment was delayed without reason which perhaps made the experts put in their papers on Sunday.
DDCA president Sharma, while accepting the resignations, praised the work done by the cricket committee members and said that the adoption of the new constitution would also have had a bearing on continuing the panel on account of Conflict of Interest.
Delhi are scheduled to play their first match of the season with a Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture against Saurashtra on Thursday, September 20.
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