India u-19 participant Enaan discovered no takers.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
The participant auction for the second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) left many junior cricketers within the State upset and it raised critical questions concerning the purpose of the fledgling league in selling expertise.
Twenty-three gamers, who represented the State in Cooch Behar Trophy, Col. C.Ok. Nayudu Trophy or Vijay Merchant Trophy, went unsold within the auction.
The notable omission being Mohammed Enaan, the India under-19 participant presently touring England. Manav Krishna, who was chosen because the Promising Player within the NSK Trophy T20 event, additionally went unsold. Abi Biju, S. Abhiram, Kamil Aboobacker, Kiran Sagar and Rohan Nair have been among the many gamers who discovered no consumers.
Of the 49 gamers registered in Category B with base value of ₹1.5 lakh, solely 16 have been picked by the groups whereas 49 out of the 84 gamers in Category C with a base value of ₹75,000 have been traded within the auction.
The auction threw up surprises like 42-year-old Ok.J. Rakesh, who served as junior selector final season, getting picked whereas many promising youngsters have been neglected.
“The groups splurged cash to purchase Category A gamers and exhausted half of their purse. They then appeared for cheaper gamers in Category C, sidestepping Category B gamers. The KCA made a mistake by not permitting unsold gamers in Category B to be traded together with Category C gamers at a decreased base value prefer it did with Category A gamers. Most of the coaches of the franchises groups have been primarily based overseas and weren’t aware of the native expertise,’‘ said Biju George, former Indian women team’s fielding coach and present expertise scout of Kolkata Knight Riders.
The KCA secretary Vinod S. Kumar admitted the error and stated the affiliation will make it necessary for the workforce to select a mounted variety of Category B gamers from subsequent season onwards. “We didn’t foresee such a state of affairs this season. The bidding for Category A gamers left the groups wanting cash and a few barely managed to purchase the minimal variety of 16 gamers. For the following season we’re pondering of constructing it necessary for the groups to select up a mounted variety of gamers from Category B and even permitting Category B gamers to be bought together with Category C gamers at a decreased value. Those at the auction desk shouldn’t be parochial. The groups additionally picked some gamers who both failed the yo-yo take a look at or missed it. I have to admit the bidding wasn’t truthful on some gamers. The KCL can have some preliminary flaws which we’ll rectify in the end of time,’‘ stated Vinod.
Published – July 08, 2025 07:07 pm IST