The Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) is thinking to withdraw from all the BCCI under 19 tournaments and scrap its u19 side as the board thinks that this age group team is doing no good for the development of cricket at U19 level,
“The big problem is Railways don’t have any base. Like how the state associations conduct their own tournaments and then pick the squad for the under-19 team. Here we only have trials and in these, there many players of Railways officers are included. On paper, we have so many employees but we have not found a good talented boy at the under-19 level. Those who are good, play for state teams. Why should there be easy access in this competitive sport? We are mulling scrapping the team itself and concentrate on under-23 and the Ranji team,” an RSPB official told The Indian Express.
When having a look at the junior sides of other states, their team is selected on the basis of tournaments organised by a state organisation whereas this is not the case with Railways, as the official revealed, the players are selected on the basis of trials and nepotism in that is always possible.
In fact, most of the players in their side whether talking of junior cricket or senior side are from different states who make a switch to get opportunities there. Railways have never been a strong team at any level in domestic cricket and the last time they were in the news when Karan Thakur, a fast bowler of U23 side scalped 10 wickets in an innings of CK Nayudu Trophy.
Railways though have few of the best players in their side like Karn Sharma, Anureet Singh, Mahesh Rawat. Karn has already made it to the Indian team and emerged as the highest paid Indian player in this year’s IPL auction.