Shardul Thakur replaces him for the three-match series

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Dec-2019Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against West Indies due to a groin injury. Shardul Thakur will come in as his replacement.*In a media release, the BCCI said of Bhuvneshwar’s injury: “Bhuvneshwar complained of pain in his right groin after the final T20I [against West Indies] in Mumbai on Wednesday. He underwent an ultrasound scan conducted by a specialist and the BCCI medical team found that his sportsman’s hernia symptoms have resurfaced.”A specialist opinion will now be sought, and his management plan will be decided accordingly.”The development will come as yet another setback for Bhuvneshwar, for whom injuries have become a constant in the recent past. During the World Cup, Bhuvneshwar had to limp out of the marquee contest against Pakistan in Manchester with a hamstring strain after bowling just 2.4 overs. He made a comeback in the semi-finals, but then missed the home series against South Africa and Bangladesh recently because of what the selectors had called a niggle.Thakur last played an ODI during the Asia Cup last September, following which he played his first – and only – Test against West Indies in October. In the recently concluded domestic T20s, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he picked up nine wickets in eight games for Mumbai.Bhuvneshwar is the second player after Shikhar Dhawan to miss out from the series against West Indies due to injury. Dhawan, who hurt his knee during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy recently, was replaced by Sanju Samson for the T20I series, while Mayank Agarwal has taken his place for the ODI series.*

He went after left-arm spinner Anton Devcich to emulate Yuvraj Singh, Ross Whiteley and Hazratullah Zazai

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2020Leo Carter has become the first New Zealander to hit six sixes in an over in T20 cricket. The 25-year-old left-hand batsman achieved the feat during the course of an unbeaten 29-ball 70 that helped Canterbury Kings chase down 220 against Northern Districts in the Super Smash tournament on Sunday. Overall, Carter is just the fourth player after Yuvraj Singh (2007), Ross Whiteley (2017) and Hazratullah Zazai (2018) to achieve the feat in T20 cricket. Those to have achieved this feat in other formats include Sir Garry Sobers and Ravi Shastri in first-class cricket and Herschelle Gibbs in ODIs.With Canterbury needing 64 from 30 balls with seven wickets in hand, Carter hammered left-arm spinner Anton Devcich for 36 runs in the 16th over, courtesy some brilliant leg-side hitting at Hagley Oval.Carter’s unbeaten 70 was his maiden T20 half-century in 22 innings. He made his senior debut for Canterbury in 2014, and has so far played 25 first-class matches, 20 List A games and 26 T20s. His astonishing strike rate of 241.37 on Sunday was nearly twice his overall career strike rate in T20s.

Ashley Giles has never made any secret of his disapproval of his side playing football

George Dobell in Cape Town03-Jan-2020England have sounded the final whistle on football as a warm-up activity in training sessions.Ashley Giles, the director of England’s men’s teams, has never made any secret of his disapproval of his side playing football. And, after Rory Burns became the latest player to sustain a football-related injury, Giles and Chris Silverwood, the England coach, have decided to ban the activity.Burns suffered serious ligament damage to his ankle after landing awkwardly while playing football as a warm-up to training on Thursday. He was subsequently ruled out of the rest of the series in South Africa and will fly back to England on Friday night. Jonny Bairstow also suffered a football-related injury in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018 while, in the past, Joe Denly and James Anderson have also been hurt playing the game.Giles said when he took the job that he was unhappy to see football as part of England’s warm-up. But he was persuaded by senior players that it was an important part of the bonding process of the squad and agreed to review it once the World Cup had finished. The injury to Burns appears to have strengthened his resolve.Giles banned football from Warwickshire when he was director of cricket there. England have denied suggestions football has been banned at all counties as a warm-up activity, saying it is up to each individual county to decide.The England management team will discuss whether they need to call-up a replacement for Burns over the next day or two. They have, at present, only one reserve batsman – Bairstow – in the squad and are likely to consider Dawid Malan, James Vince and Keaton Jennings as options. But with the squad size still 18 and only two Tests left after this, it is far from certain they will send for anyone.Meanwhile, Jofra Archer may also have played his final game in the series. He will undergo a second scan on his sore right elbow on Friday after the first one proved inconclusive.

Tour set to go ahead with Cricket Ireland ‘monitoring’ coronavirus situation in northern India

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2020Ireland head coach Graham Ford will miss his side’s upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan in India after a “slip accident” at his home in Dublin led to a fractured vertebrae and three broken ribs.Ford had to travel home from the Ireland Wolves (the ‘A’ side) tour of South Africa last week, after a Durban doctor told him he would be unable to participate in physical training with the squad.Rob Cassell, who will leave the coaching staff to take up a bowling coach position with Rajasthan Royals immediately after the tour, will be acting head coach for the series, while another coach will be added to the staff in the interim.Cricket Ireland also confirmed that it will “continue to monitor the situation” with regards to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The board said it was “concurrently taking advice from government, health and sporting bodies,” and that “while a duty of care approach to players’ health will be maintained, there is currently no advisory against travelling to northern India”.The series starts on March 6, with all three games being played in Greater Noida.

PCB chairman says a team will review the decision to split points for the India and Pakistan women’s championship series

Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2020PCB chairman Ehsan Mani expressed Pakistan’s disappointment with the ICC’s decision to split points for an ICC Women’s Championship series between India and Pakistan that went unplayed after the BCCI were unable to obtain permission from the Indian government to go ahead with the series. The decision meant India qualified for the 2021 Women’s World Cup, while Pakistan were consigned to playing the qualifiers, finishing on 19 points compared to India’s 23. The ruling is particularly significant for Pakistan because had the ICC awarded them all six points, as was the case in a similar scenario in 2016, Pakistan would have qualified for the playoffs automatically, while India would have had to go through the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup.”We are of course disappointed with the decision, but our team (comprising the CEO, legal department, and other heads) is reviewing the matter. Once that’s done, we will be able to comment,” Mani told Sportstar.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB has been in touch with the ICC, but there has been otherwise near total silence over the decision, which came on Wednesday. There is anticipation of a statement in the coming days once the PCB conducts a full review, but the prolonged delay after which a reaction may come suggests the statement could be more conciliatory than combative.The PCB had attempted to engage with their Indian counterparts about the series on the sidelines of the last couple of ICC meetings, a series they viewed as a bilateral issue rather than one that needed ICC engagement. It appears they did not receive a meaningful response from the BCCI, either in writing or verbally.In 2016, the ICC decided to give Pakistan full points when India failed to show up for a series, but there is one difference that looks to have secured a more desirable outcome for the BCCI. On that occasion, the BCCI offered no written explanation for the failure to proceed with the series, and the technical investigation committee found the BCCI had not been able to establish “acceptable reasons” for non-participation in the series.This time around, the BCCI engaged with the ICC early on, making its stand clear about why it could not play Pakistan in the ODI series scheduled in 2019. ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI made extensive submissions as early as 2018 demonstrating that it could not get the relevant permission from the Indian government to play Pakistan. That helped the ICC’s technical committee to invoke the clause on this occasion.”With respect to the India v Pakistan series, the TC (technical committee) concluded that the series could not be played because of a Force Majeure event after the BCCI demonstrated that it was unable to obtain the necessary government clearances to allow India to participate in the bilateral series against Pakistan, which forms a part of the ICC Women’s Championship,” the ICC said in the media release on Wednesday.The technical committee comprises Geoff Allardice (ICC general manager of cricket), Chris Tetley (ICC head of events) and Jonathan Hall (ICC general counsel).

West Indies include Nkmurah Bonner and Chemar Holder for first time

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Jun-2020Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul have declined an invitation to be part of West Indies’ squad to tour England in July, with Nkrumah Bonner and Chemar Holder winning their first Test call-ups.Jermaine Blackwood, the middle-order batsman who made his maiden Test hundred against England in 2015, and left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer have also been included in the 14-man squad, while Shannon Gabriel, Sunil Ambris and Oshane Thomas are named among the 11 reserve players.ALSO READ: England-West Indies schedule confirmedThe 25-man touring party will fly to England on June 8 on private charters, after being tested for Covid-19, and will spend three weeks staying at Emirates Old Trafford quarantining and training on arrival. They will then travel to the Ageas Bowl to train ahead of the first Test, before returning to Old Trafford for the second and third Tests.The series, which now needs final approval from the UK government, will mark the resumption of international cricket which was abruptly halted in March due to the pandemic. It is understood that Cricket West Indies (CWI) is expecting the test results for the travelling players to be back by Friday from Miami. Anyone who tests positive would not take the charter flight.West Indies will spend seven weeks in England, despite the fact there will only be 15 playing days, but throughout this period the squad will be, as CWI said in a media release on Wednesday, “live, train and play” in a bio-secure environment.With respect to Bravo, Hetmyer and Paul opting out, CWI said that their decision would not count as a black mark against their names. “CWI fully respects their decision to choose to do so. As previously stated, CWI will not hold this decision against these players when considering future selection.”Former West Indies offspinner Roger Harper, who is the chairman of selectors, said Holder was leading a “very competitive squad”, half of which had featured in home series win against England last year. “So they will bring that experience, that knowledge and belief with them and marry it to the enthusiasm and vitality of the newcomers,” Harper said in the CWI release.”The experience of the players who toured England before in 2017 will also benefit the squad greatly. I expect that the bowling unit will once again provide a serious challenge for England and our batting will have to deliver. England is a tough team when playing in home conditions, however, I think the West Indies has a good chance of retaining the Wisden Trophy. We will have to bat consistently well to do so.”One player who played a significant part in West Indies winning the Wisden Trophy in 2019 at home was Gabriel, who has not featured since September last year after undergoing ankle surgery last November. However, after a six-month rehabilitation Gabriel recently said he was feeling positive to come back at full tilt on the England tour.Harper, too, remained optimistic about the strike bowler, who he said was working his way back to full match fitness. “The four weeks leading up to the first Test will be of tremendous benefit to him. A fully fit and firing Shannon adds great potency to the bowling attack, so it is important to have him back at his best.”Jermaine Blackwood has been a prolific run-scorer for Jamaica in domestic cricket•CWI Media/Kerrie Eversley

The selection of Chemar Holder, Bonner and Blackwood was a clear indication that Harper’s panel paid attention to success in domestic cricket. All those three players were top performers in the four-day West Indies Championship, which had to be called off after eight out of the 10 rounds in March. Holder, part of West Indies’ 2016 Under-19 World Cup winning team, was the leading wicket-taker among seamers in the regional competition this season with 36 victims at an average of 18.9.For Bonner, who is 31, this is first time he is returning to West Indies colours having played the last of his two T20Is in 2012. Bonner, who plays for Jamaica, was the fourth-highest run-getter in the regional competition with 523 runs in seven matches at an average of 58.11. His Jamaican teammate Blackwood was the top run-maker in the tournament with 768 runs at 51.20.ALSO READ: ECB backs Covid subs as plans for bio-secure cricket ramp up“Chemar Holder is an exciting young fast bowling talent who is coming off an excellent domestic first-class season,” Harper said. “He should enjoy bowling in English conditions. He could prove a real asset to the team in England. Nkrumah Bonner is an unflappable character. His ability to hold the innings together and bat through tight situations could serve the team very well.”Jermaine Blackwood returns by sheer weight of performance in the domestic first-class season. His patience and application were evident and that resulted in much greater consistency which I look forward to him taking back into the Test arena. His experience of playing Test cricket in England should stand him in good stead. Raymon Reifer has been around for a while and has proved to be a real competitor with both bat and ball – qualities that will add great value to the team.”‘Not a fun tour’Wayne Lewis, secretary of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) said the players had been anxious, but were confident having heard the measures taken by both the ECB and CWI to ensure their safety.”They are a bit nervous, but when it was demonstrated to them and disseminated to them as to exactly how the protocol will go in terms being in the bubble (they were fine),” Lewis told ESPNcricinfo. “They will have to make a sacrifice because they will not be allowed to leave their hotel. They will not be able to go shopping, go partying, visit anyone, receive visitors.”When they are not at the hotel they are at the cricket ground. When they are not at the cricket ground they are back at the hotel. It is a big ask. It is a big sacrifice that they are being asked to make to facilitate this series going ahead. It is going to be tough on them. It is not a fun tour. But they understand that.”West Indies squad to tour England: Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Jason Holder (captain), Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar RoachReserve players: Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, Jomel Warrican

Dustin Melton takes 4 for 22 as Leicestershire stumble on first day

ECB Reporters Network08-Aug-2020Derbyshire enjoyed an outstanding first day with ball and bat in the Bob Willis Trophy match against Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.The visitors bowled Leicestershire out for 199 after the Foxes had chosen to bat first before a fine unbroken partnership of 92, compiled off only 17.3 overs, between Luis Reece and Wayne Madsen saw the Peakites close on 101, just 98 runs behind with nine first innings wickets in hand.It was all the more impressive for the fact that while Leicestershire made just one change from the team which beat Lancashire in their opening fixture (Will Davis coming in for Tom Taylor), injuries and rotation saw Derbyshire make four from the side which pulled off a remarkable win against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Hughes, Melton, Anuj Dal and first-class debutant Ed Barnes came in for Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Matt McKiernan, Michael Cohen and Ben Aitchison.Paceman Sam Conners make the early breakthrough on a pitch offering both pace and carry, as Ben Slater – formerly of Derbyshire, but currently on loan at Leicestershire from Nottinghamshire – pushed at a length delivery and edged to third slip, where Matt Critchley held the catch.At the other end Hassan Azad had one escape, Critchley failing to hold a chance two-handed to his left when Luis Reece found the edge, but there was no reprieve when, having allowed a delivery from Reece to go through to wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein, Azad – who was batting outside his crease – did not step back behind the line. The alert Hosein rolled the ball into the stumps from around 12 yards back to effect a remarkable stumping. Leicestershire were in a hole at 15 for 2, and it deepened when captain Colin Ackermann edged an out-swinger from Dustin Melton low to Leus Du Plooy at second slip.It was just as well for the Foxes that Harry Dearden looked in good touch, but with lunch approaching the young left-hander lost another partner as George Rhodes edged a gentle outswinger from Alex Hughes, and Hosein, standing up to the wicket, took a neat catch. With Rhodes also out his ground, the wicketkeeper completed a ‘just in case’ stumping.The key wicket in the afternoon session was that of Dearden, who had hit 12 boundaries as he moved on to 70 before getting a questionable decision in being given out leg before wicket to a delivery from Conners that replays suggested pitched outside leg stump.Ben Mike looked comfortable before a misjudged leave allowed an inswinging delivery from Melton to clip the top of his off-stump. Melton then picked up two wickets in two balls as first Harry Swindells inside edged an attempted drive onto off stump and then Dieter Klein bottom-edged a cut at a wide ball on to his middle stump.Callum Parkinson, Davis and Chris Wright did their best to drag their side past 200, and earn at least one batting bonus point, but both Parkinson and Davis went the same way, edging defensive pushes at Reece to Hosein.Wright briefly lifted Leicestershire’s spirits with a fine delivery that seamed away to take Billy Godleman’s edge and give Azad a waist-high catch at first slip, but Reece and Madsen took full advantage of inconsistent bowling, a fast outfield and a short boundary to score at 5.25 runs per over in taking Derbyshire past 100 before the close.”I’m absolutely delighted,” Melton said. “I felt the love from the staff and the players as well – we’ve always been big believers in celebrating each other’s successes.”Coming back from lockdown there was a momentum shift in my mindset, especially in regards to first-class cricket: getting away from being a clubby, greedy, wicket-taking bowler who thinks he can just run in and take a pole whenever he feels like it.”I had to do a bit of soul searching and change my outlook, do whatever the team needs, and if that means banging a couple in, fine, and if it means just trying to control the scoreboard, fine, I’ll do that.”

Players take the knee, wear BLM armbands, sing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika to make it a memorable day

Firdose Moonda18-Jul-2020After days of discussion around the Black Lives Matter issue, South Africa’s elite cricketers showed a united face against racism by taking a knee at Centurion’s SuperSport Park ahead of the 3TC match on Saturday. All 24 participating players, support staffers, CSA officials including Graeme Smith, the director of cricket, and members of the commentary team – Makhaya Ntini among them – joined in as South Africa staged its first live cricket match in four months.The gesture, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, came after a fortnight that showed up the faultlines in South African cricket. On the eve of the match, Smith, Faf du Plessis and Dwaine Pretorius confirmed that they would take the knee, and joined three other white South African cricketers – Anrich Nortje, Rassie van der Dussen and Marizanne Kapp – in supporting Lungi Ngidi’s call for players to join the rest of the world in making a stand against racial discrimination. With no spectators allowed at the ground, television coverage showed the players standing in a half-circle facing the vacant presidential suite at SuperSport Park to sing South Africa’s national anthem Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. The players then took their positions on the field, with Temba Bavuma’s Kites bowling first, to Reeza Hendricks’ Kingfishers. As the umpires called time, with the words “we are ready”, the Kites players – batsmen Janneman Malan and Hendricks – and the umpires took a knee on the field. The rest of the teams and everyone else involved stood around the outside of the boundary and did the same, their right fists raised in solidarity.Cameras panned to Smith, who was flanked by former Springbok World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar and former South Africa quick Ntini, who had made headlines this week as he recalled instances of racial discrimination during his time as an international. In an interview on television on Friday morning, Ntini revealed how he used to run from the ground to the team hotel to escape the “loneliness” of sitting on the team bus, where he said the rest of the squad would move to the back if he was in front and vice-versa.Janneman Malan takes a knee on the pitch prior to the start of the 3TC game•AFP via Getty Images

On the day, on the live broadcast, Ntini and Smith discussed the gestures at the start of the game. Smith told Ntini he could “feel the emotion coming from you”. Ntini replied: “that’s why we stand together.””A very important message is being put out today,” Smith said on air, and Ntini agreed, calling it “one of our greatest moments”, while also echoing the call for unity. “Everyone can see that, as South Africans, we all stand up and plough the same furrow together. We stand together,” Ntini said. “The more we do this the more change will happen. Here’s Lungi. He was the first one to voice it, and everyone [who has since supported BLM] stood by him.”Ngidi’s stance on BLM prompted reactions from both sides with four former players – Rudi Steyn, Pat Symcox, Brian McMillan and Boeta Dippenaar – criticising the youngster for not showing equal solidarity for the fight against the murder of predominantly white farmers in the country.Andile Phehlukwayo showcased his solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement•AFP via Getty Images

The quartet drew the ire of 31 former players including Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Ntini, JP Duminy and Herschelle Gibbs, and five current coaches including Geoffrey Toyana and Wandile Gwazu who were in charge of Eagles and Kites respectively at the 3TC. The group collectively issued a statement in support of Ngidi and called for CSA and cricketers to support the BLM movement.Hashim Amla, who wasn’t in the list of signatories to that letter, made public his own thoughts on the matter the next day, thanking Ngidi and others who had “stood up for just causes in their own way”. On air, Smith said, “There’s no need for Ngidi to be attacked at all. I think he’s handled himself extremely well.”After the letter from the 36 players and coaches – all of colour – CSA issued a second statement supporting the BLM movement but it was not until Friday that more plans around how it would show that support were revealed when Smith, du Plessis and Pretorius said they would take a knee.Before, during, and after the game, the players and commentators, as well as CSA officials, wore armbands with ‘Black Lives Matter’ emblazoned on them. Andile Phehlukwayo, who was playing for the Eagles, also wore a “Black Lives Matter” t-shirt under his team shirt, and showed it off when he dismissed Heinrich Klaasen in the final innings of the match.AB de Villiers, who sparkled for the Eagles as they won, touched upon the subject in a post-match interview, saying that the aim was “solidarity in South Africa”.”There were obviously quite a few more important things out there today [than just the cricket]. Just getting out as cricketers and playing a bit of cricket, doing it for solidarity in South Africa. Showing that we can stick together as a nation. That, to me, was ultimately what it was all about,” de Villiers told the official broadcaster.

Replaces compatriot James Hopes, who has opted out because of personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2020Ryan Harris, the former Australia fast bowler who has held coaching positions with the Australian men’s team, Big Bash League side Brisbane Heat and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL in the past, has been signed on as the bowling coach for their 2020 season by Delhi Capitals. Harris replaced fellow Australian James Hopes, who opted out this year because of “personal reasons”.Harris, 40, will join the Capitals travelling party in the UAE soon, and bolster the support staffers’ line-up that already has head coach Ricky Ponting, assistant coach Mohammad Kaif, spin-bowling coach Samuel Badree and others.”I am delighted to be back in the IPL,” Harris told the Capitals website. “This is a huge opportunity for me to contribute to the franchise’s ambitions of lifting the coveted IPL trophy. The Delhi Capitals side has an impressive bowling line-up, and I can’t wait to start working with them all.”With Badree, one of the premier T20 spinners in his prime, in charge of the spin bowlers, Harris will likely focus on the pacers, of which the squad has a full house. There are big names like Kagiso Rabada and Ishant Sharma, other established internationals like Anrich Nortje, who was drafted in when Chris Woakes opted out recently, Keemo Paul, Mohit Sharma and Marcus Stoinis, as well as uncapped Indians Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Tushar Deshpande.ALSO READ: Ponting promises ‘hard conversation’ with AshwinHarris was a part of the Deccan Chargers side that won the 2009 edition of the IPL, contested in South Africa because of the Indian general elections, and played for the side the following season as well. One of his highest points while playing for Chargers actually came against Delhi Daredevils (Capitals’ earlier avatar) when, in the 2009 semi-final in Centurion, Harris sent back Daredevils openers Gautam Gambhir and David Warner for ducks in the very first over.He moved to Kings XI in 2011. He played for Kings XI till 2013, and was forced to retire as a player not long after, having had to cope with major injuries for the best part of his career. Harris turned to coaching after that, and replaced Venkatesh Prasad as bowling coach at Kings XI in 2019.

There has been no sanctioned cricket in India since March, and it remains unclear if the BCCI has given its go-ahead to the latest T20 tournament

Varun Shetty13-Sep-2020The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) is set to launch its own T20 league – the Jharkhand Premier League – on September 15 this year. In an email accessed by ESPNcricinfo, several cricketers who are affiliated with the association were informed of their selection for the league and sent accompanying forms to register themselves for it. They have been asked to report to the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi – with instructions around Covid-19 testing – which is understood to be the host venue for the entire tournament.The tournament’s proposed format of hosting all matches in one venue is not completely in line with BCCI’s tentative plans for the domestic season, which involves creating groups that would exclusively play on four grounds in two cities. But it could well prove to be an unofficial dry run for the BCCI, in terms of handling a safety bubble with multiple teams. At the same time, it is unclear if the tournament has been approved by the BCCI yet, and ESPNcricinfo’s attempts to reach the association were unsuccessful. That said, it is unusual for such a tournament to take place without official sanction, and the letter sent to the players was on official JSCA stationery, which clearly spells out that it is affiliated with the BCCI.The BCCI is currently dealing with the prospect of a severely truncated domestic season, if one happens at all, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been no sanctioned cricket in India since March, and no clear path laid out for resumption apart from a preliminary fixtures proposal that has not yet been ratified by senior management. The radar is trained firmly on the IPL at the moment, which has run into several challenges of its own, including at least a 20-30% drop in revenue for all its franchises, apart from a 50% drop in title sponsorship.In this climate, the JSCA has reportedly signed on two major sponsors as well as a live-streaming partner.The tournament will, however, be without prominent Jharkhand players like MS Dhoni, Ishan Kishan, Shahbaz Nadeem and Varun Aaron, who are in the UAE to take part in the IPL for their respective teams. But the board sees it as an opportunity to provide a platform for upcoming players and keep a strong pool of players ready should there be a domestic season in the works by the end of the year.MS Dhoni and other prominent Jharkhand cricketers are away in the UAE for the IPL•PTI

“The Association is humbled and offers its deepest gratitude to the state government for its proactive support in these despairing times, to kick-start sporting activities in Jharkhand,” JSCA president Nafees Akhtar Khan was quoted as saying in the .The league will reportedly have six teams representing Jharkhand’s six zones and run for 33 days. The teams will not be franchise-based. “The six teams representing six zones include Ranchi Raiders, Dumka Daredevils, Dhanbad Dynamos, Singhbhum Strikers, Jamshedpur Jugglers and Bokaro Blasters,” JSCA secretary Sanjay Sahay was quoted as saying in the . “The teams shall comprise only of players who are registered with the JSCA from the state of Jharkhand. Nearly 100 players will be part of the tournament. There will be no franchises or team owners.”The email Sahay sent out to the players included a document on Covid-19 protocols, which lays out the ways in which a bio-secure bubble will be created at the stadium. The letter of selection stated that players would only be allowed into the bubble after submitting negative reports for Covid-19 before leaving from their homes. Upon reaching the venue, the guidelines are along expected lines – physical distancing, no saliva on the ball, no sharing of equipment, no exits from the bubble, and so on. The players are going to be provided three sets of “accommodation kits” for the duration of their stay, one set of “dressing room kits” for each match, and two sets of “sports attire”. Players have been told to use personal vehicles or unshared taxis to reach the venue.There is also a provision for those with symptoms: “Any player/support staff suspected of having Covid-19 like symptoms during their stay shall undergo RT-PCR tests for Covid-19. Two tests one day apart (Day 1 & Day 3) shall be done to account for false negatives. If both the test results are negative, only then they shall be allowed to take further part in the league.”