Jaipur: Thirty-six Colvin Shield matches have been completed across Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur in just four days, with players enduring extreme heat to secure a place in the Rajasthan senior team for the 2026–27 domestic season. However, the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) ad hoc committee has yet to announce the official selection panel for upcoming BCCI tournaments, casting doubt on the evaluation of performances.
Observers Appointed as Temporary Talent Scouts
The Times of India has learned that the RCA ad hoc committee has appointed a group of seven observers to fill the gap left by the missing selectors. These observers, comprising former players and selectors, are currently the sole talent scouts monitoring matches across the three host districts. The appointed observers are Siddharth Joshi, Ankit Lamba, Abhijeet Sharma, Rajiv Rathore, Pranay Sharma, Kishan Choudhary, and Sumit Mathur. The official selection committee is expected to be announced shortly, after which the observers will submit their performance reports to the new selectors and RCA management.
Criticism from District Selectors and Coaches
The move has drawn sharp criticism from some district selectors and coaches. A district selector, speaking on condition of anonymity, questioned the timing of the tournament: “Why are they holding the Colvin Shield at this time when the weather is so unfavourable and the selection panel is not in place? Observers are only there to ensure matches are conducted properly. They are not the ones to select players. Some observers have faced corruption charges in the past.”
A district association coach echoed similar sentiments, stating that the state-level tournament’s standard has declined significantly due to a lack of serious effort from those in charge. “The pitches being used are the ones on which corporate matches are played at night. Which management and curator allows that? Also, most senior players aren’t turning up due to heat, citing medical issues, yet they get selected. Is this how you prepare players for India?” another district official questioned.
Independent Tournament and Selection Delay
Meanwhile, the 10-over MPL-4 tournament is currently being played under floodlights at Wonder Cement Cricket Academy Shikarbadi Cricket Ground in Udaipur. This is an independent event not approved by the RCA or BCCI. The selection delay persists despite the ad hoc panel inviting applications for men’s and women’s selection committees across various age groups on May 6, with a strict deadline of 5:00 PM on May 15.
