Ranji Trophy 2017/18: Senior Players Enraged Bishan Singh Bedi for Bunking First-Class Fixtures
Oct 9, 2017 at 8:00 PM
Former India cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi has dictated his terms by saying it is a bad sign for the gentleman’s game when senior players bunk the first-class fixtures which are eventually seen as the stepping stone in the contemporary top-flight cricket.
“I have very little time for them. Players missing first-class cricket is a bad omen for Indian cricket,” Bedi told Indian Express.
The 71-year-old Amritsar-born Bedi, who was witnessing one of the first round fixtures of the Ranji Trophy 2017-18 between hosts Delhi and Assam at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi, revealed first-class competition has always played a significant role while adding he doesn’t like the players, who back away from it.
“First-class cricket is very important and honestly I don’t like players who bunk it,” Bedi maintained.
Bedi’s comments came after he felt the senior players must be part of the competition wholeheartedly who could eventually play the important rule for the youngsters.
“When your international players start bunking domestic cricket is a bad omen for the future,” Bedi added.
Bedi, who himself played 370 first-class fixtures in which he had bagged 1,560 wickets at an average of 21.69, has been vocal about the domestic cricket, as he has been the coach of different teams in the recent past.
(Read Also: Preview: India Look To Seal T20I Series Against Australia)
Pertinently, discarded India batsman Yuvraj Singh alongside his teammate Harbhajan Singh missed out the first fixture of the premium competition against Himachal Pradesh, as players have had further looked out for the excuses in the set-up in the recent past.
The 35-year-old Yuvraj reiterated he had failed the much famous Yo-Yo test which is specifically a mandatory process to undergo for the players, in a bid to break into any of the squads. Following the astronomical rise in Ravindra Jadeja’s career, he was rested owing to the rotation policy of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the national fold, has further skipped a game for domestic side.
The former left-arm orthodox spinner Bedi had further expressed his satisfaction while witnessing the Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returning to their respective state teams after enjoying the English County season in the County Championship recently.
“I am glad that they are not missing Ranji Trophy. After making it into the national side, it is important for players to continue in domestic circuit too,” Bedi concluded.
While signing off, Bedi revealed the Chinaman from Kanpur Kuldeep Yadav had been the massive boost for Indian cricket, as he believes such players set an example while banking on their strength.