Ranji Trophy: Arunachal Pradesh lose opener against Nagaland amid association crisis

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) logo Arunachal Pradesh lost their Ranji Trophy Plate group opener against Nagaland, which was scheduled to start in Ahmedabad on Sunday.The decision comes amid an ongoing dispute within the state cricket association, with two rival groups fighting for control and a related case pending before the Gauhati bench of the Itanagar High Court.The administrative crisis has also affected state-age cricket.Arunachal Pradesh failed to field its Under-19 team for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy match against Sikkim in Bhubaneswar on Thursday as the association currently lacks functioning powers to decide the team selection.

The court case leaves the association in limbo

The State Cricket Association held elections in September, with Nabam Vivek elected as president. However, several district associations have challenged the election process in the Gauhati High Court, alleging irregularities.The court reserved its decision in the case, preventing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from stepping in to form an independent selection committee, as it did in Bihar’s case.“The court has issued a stay order and BCCI cannot interfere. There is no one running the state body. Until the court gives permission, we cannot do anything,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI.

A bad season adds to Arunachal’s woes

Arunachal Pradesh’s latest setback comes after a tough Ranji Trophy campaign last season where they finished bottom of the Plate Group table after losing all five matches.The Plate group also includes Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim. With the association’s leadership dispute unresolved, uncertainty remains over Arunachal Pradesh’s ability to manage team selection and smoothly participate in domestic cricket competitions.