Cricket Association of Puducherry states BCCI was on board with recruitment of disqualified players

Just ahead of their match against Uttarakhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, eight players from the Puducherry team had their registrations cancelled by the BCCI for allegedly not meeting the eligibility criteria. As a result, CAP had to give seven replacements in an overnight.

However, CAP acting secretary V Chandran mentioned that these players had been approved by BCCI. The cut-off date set by BCCI for eligibility in case of Puducherry was August 31, 2018, as the Union Territory had joined as state association in August this year. Some of the new state associations raised an objection in this, wanting the cut off date to be uniform for all, August 31, 2017.

“The CAP didn't make a mistake here. The BCCI especially gave the cut off date (for the eligibility of players for Puducherry) of August 31, 2018, because CAP was admitted as a member of the Board only in August this year. The CAP thus asked all the eligible players (those who had joined a college, or gained employment in Puducherry since August 31, 2018) to come for the selection trials. All the players, who were eligible as per this special cutoff date of August 31, 2018, were thus picked to play for Puducherry, and this was approved by the BCCI," said CAP acting secretary V Chandran.

“(However, subsequently) some of the new states (playing in domestic cricket for the first time) insisted that the BCCI's cut-off date (for eligibility of players) should be uniform for all, that is August 31, 2017, as Puducherry's team had become too strong."The CAP agreed to this, and is now fielding players eligible as per the cut-off date of August 31, 2017. All the records and documents submitted by CAP were carefully examined and approved by the BCCI. Not a single mistake was found by the board in any of the documents provided by CAP," he said.

Chandran has assured that CAP has not been involved in any kind of corruption. He also mentioned that CAP has accepted the revised date, so there are no more contradictions existing in the whole matter.

“Be assured that there's no corruption or any wrongdoing in the CAP. It's a fair and clean set up. It won't be possible for anyone to prove that the CAP rigged any documents. Please do not believe such wrong propaganda," said Chandran.

“The Committee Of Administrators (CoA) or the BCCI, or the CAP did not make a mistake on the issue. Everyone acted with responsibility, and the cut off date, now revised to August 31, 2017, is acceptable to all. So, the matter is resolved," he added.

As Puducherry faced a 65-run defeat against Uttarakhand, Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) appealed that the matches played by Puducherry, with the eight disqualified players, should be neutralized. SCA joint secretary Madhukar Worah had addressed a letter to BCCI General Manager (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim with copies to CEO Rahul Johri, Committee of Administrators and all state associations requesting to do the same.

“...deviations in rules and regulations for a particular team (Puducherry) has never happened in the history of BCCI. We feel that the matches where Puducherry team participated with more outstation players than permitted should be treated null and void," said Worah.

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