Arunachal Pradesh faces a major cricket crisis as a legal deadlock in the Arunachal Cricket Association forces the state out of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, while its Ranji Trophy participation remains uncertain ahead of the October 11 season opener.
Arunachal Pradesh’s cricketing future has come under serious uncertainty after an ongoing legal dispute within the Arunachal Cricket Association (ACA) prevented the state from fielding a team in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. The administrative crisis has already affected junior-level competitions and could now put the state’s participation in the upcoming Ranji Trophy at risk.
Arunachal Pradesh was scheduled to begin its Vinoo Mankad Trophy campaign against Sikkim in the Plate Group at the KIIT Cricket Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. However, the team could not be constituted because of the continuing legal and administrative deadlock within the state cricket association. Under the BCCI’s playing conditions, Sikkim is likely to receive full points from the fixture.
The dispute stems from an internal power struggle within the Arunachal Cricket Association. Six district cricket bodies — Lower Siang, Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Tawang, West Siang and Papum Pare — had raised allegations of rule violations during the association’s state executive elections and demanded fresh elections.
The legal challenge against ACA president Nabam Vivek and other office-bearers subsequently resulted in an interim stay order concerning the functioning of the association from the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court. The continuing court proceedings have left the state body without a recognised functioning administration capable of organising teams for BCCI-affiliated competitions.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the situation to IANS, saying the dispute between two factions of the Arunachal Cricket Association had resulted in a prolonged legal impasse. According to Saikia, the High Court had issued a stay order a few months ago, while the matter was heard in the first week of September. However, the judgment is still awaited.
With no functioning body in place, preparations for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy could not be completed. The administrative paralysis has also affected Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the Under-19 Women’s T20 Trophy, raising concerns about the impact of the dispute on players across different age groups.
The situation has now created uncertainty over Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the Ranji Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on October 11. The state has been placed in the Plate Group and is scheduled to face Nagaland in its opening match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Saikia said the BCCI could not intervene while the matter remained sub judice. He added that the outcome of the court proceedings would be crucial in determining what happens to Arunachal Pradesh’s participation in the Ranji Trophy.
The administrative uncertainty has also raised concerns among people associated with Arunachal cricket, who fear that the state could miss a substantial part of the ongoing domestic season. With different factions claiming control of the association and no recognised authority available to coordinate with the BCCI, the process of selecting and preparing official state teams has effectively come to a halt.
The crisis is particularly concerning for young cricketers who have spent months preparing for national-level competitions. The absence of Arunachal Pradesh teams from the Under-19 men’s and women’s tournaments means players are losing valuable opportunities to compete, gain experience and represent their state on the national stage.
Arunachal Pradesh received full BCCI membership in 2018, along with other Northeastern states, following recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators. The move had provided the state’s cricketers with greater access to BCCI-organised domestic competitions and a formal pathway to higher levels of the game.
The current dispute, however, has threatened to undermine that progress. The absence of a functional state association means players are now facing the consequences of an administrative conflict over which faction has legitimate control.
People tracking the developments have compared the situation with previous administrative crises in other state cricket associations, where prolonged internal disputes affected participation in national competitions.
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For Arunachal Pradesh’s cricketers, the immediate priority remains the restoration of a recognised and functioning cricket administration. Until the legal dispute is resolved and an authorised body is able to resume operations, uncertainty will continue to surround the state’s domestic cricket programme.
With the Ranji Trophy beginning on October 11, attention is now focused on the pending court judgment and whether it can pave the way for Arunachal Pradesh to return to competitive action. The outcome could have significant implications not only for the state association but also for the careers of a generation of young cricketers waiting for an opportunity to represent Arunachal Pradesh.
