MUMBAI: The BCCI has formed a 5-member task force to develop cricket in the North East region, ahead of the Indian domestic season, Times of India reports.
“We had a meeting on the North-East states issue. It’s one thing to tell them that you’ll play in all tournaments. You have to also find out what are the resources available there in terms of infrastructure. They’ve just one ground – how do will 5-6 group teams practice or hold selection trials on the same ground? That support the BCCI has to give them,” a Board official was quoted as saying to TOI.
“The BCCI has thus formed a task force to develop cricket in the North East. It includes BCCI GM cricket operations Saba Karim, former board game development manager Ratnakar Shetty, AGM (Cricket Operations) KVP Rao, Ashish Bhowmik who is the North East (chief) curator and former Bengal player Saradindu Mukherjee,” he added.
The board also announced that one team from the North-East region and Bihar could get an opportunity to play in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals in the maiden season itself, as they would be placed in the Plate Group. If a team tops the group, they not only go through to the quarters but also will be guaranteed a place into the Elite Group C the following season, making it an added incentive for cricket to blossom in the region.
