Unusual Start to Ranji Trophy; Two Bihar Teams, Heated Exchanges, and Delayed Kick-off
The Ranji Trophy season opener in Patna witnessed an unprecedented scenario as two teams, both claiming to represent Bihar, turned up for the game against Mumbai at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium. The longstanding in-fighting between two factions of the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) spilled over to the ground, resulting in heated exchanges and a minor scuffle between officials at the start of the match. The intervention of local police eventually paved the way for the Bihar-Mumbai game to commence around 11 am.
Conflicting Teams: BCA President vs. Secretary Dispute
The morning chaos unfolded with two teams arriving at the ground, one selected by BCA President Rakesh Tiwary and the other backed by Secretary Amit Kumar. The team picked by Tiwary played the game, leaving the squad supported by Kumar stranded. Surprisingly, neither team had a single cricketer named in their line-ups. Both Tiwary and Kumar claimed legitimacy for their respective teams, leading to a standoff.
BCA President Tiwary defended his team selection, emphasizing merit and talent from Bihar. He stated, “We have picked the team on merit, and that is the right team.” Tiwary pointed out that the opposing team, supported by the suspended secretary, lacked credibility.
Secretary Amit Kumar challenged Tiwary’s suspension claims, asserting his victory in the election and his official position as the BCA secretary. He questioned the president’s authority to select a team, highlighting the role of the secretary in such decisions. Amit Kumar denied the legitimacy of Tiwary’s team and raised concerns about the president’s accusations.
BCA Press Release and Blame Game
In response to the chaotic events, BCA issued a press release blaming suspended secretary Amit Kumar for orchestrating a fake team and attacking an official at the gate. The release mentioned a “life-threatening attack” on BCA’s OSD Manoj Kumar, identifying those involved in the fake team and promising action against them.
President Tiwary also pointed fingers at Aditya Verma, the original petitioner in the 2013 spot-fixing case, accusing him of disrupting Bihar’s image for personal reasons. Tiwary alleged that Verma’s actions were motivated by his son not being selected, emphasizing the association’s commitment to merit-based team selections.
Secretary Amit countered Tiwary’s allegations, questioning his silence when they were on the same side. He highlighted the unusual power dynamics within BCA, stating, “BCA is the only association where the secretary has no power.” Despite the tumultuous start to the day, Bihar showcased resilience on the field. After winning the toss, they limited Mumbai, a formidable opponent, to 235/9. Veer Pratap Singh, a veteran pacer, emerged as the main wicket-taker for Bihar with figures of 4/32.
