Jaipur: The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) is plunging into a crisis amid escalating internal rifts, with the state’s ad hoc committee fracturing into rival camps for the second time in months. The situation has reached a point where the two rivals have announced conflicting Ranji Trophy and Men’s Under-23 State A Trophy squads, exposing irreconcilable divisions and triggering fears of a BCCI-imposed ban.Differences centre on convener Deendayal Kumawat and four committee members — Dhananjai Singh Khimsar, Ashish Tiwari, Mohit Yadav and Pinkesh Jain. Tensions began last month, days before Ranji games, when the four questioned Kumawat’s authority and shuffled selection committees mid-season.Things are in limbo: Which team will represent Rajasthan?“I will ensure there are no conflicts on the match day as I genuinely care about Rajasthan’s cricket and players. I do not wish to cause any embarrassment to the state,” Kumawat told TOI on Thursday.He expressed shock at the revolt, noting all decisions had their consent. “The 33 districts, these four members and I called up a general body meeting, and all the selectors, tenders and ombudsman were improved there. They all gave their signatures and gave appointment letters.“The rule says that the ad hoc committee must hold meetings every three months and that has been done. These four members were also present at all the meetings. All the teams are doing well and that is troubling them. The teams are winning, and it conveys that the selection committee did a good job,” he added.In the U-23 CK Nayudu Trophy, Rajasthan are placed 4th in Elite Group B with 28 points after winning two out of three games. In the Ranji Trophy, Rajasthan men’s team stands third in Elite Group D with 9 points, earned from one win, a draw with first-innings lead and one loss.Khimsar writes to BCCI: Khimsar said they mailed their team to the BCCI. “We have mailed to the BCCI’s concerned official. Teams are supposed to be made in a democratic way with majority mandate of the ad hoc panel. We have four members against one. According to the rules, our team should be playing. I would like to say that this is not a conflict of egos, and we do not want to embarrass the RCA or the state of Rajasthan, and do not want to cause any inconvenience to the players in any way. We just want to do what’s right.”He described it as “one person (the convener) versus the four members,” accusing Kumawat of ignoring rules. “The convener does not believe in following the rules of the cooperatives. He does not believe in the Sports Act and does not respect the RCA constitution. The rules… clearly say that once every two weeks there should be an ad hoc committee meeting. And it clearly says that the job of a convener is to convene the meeting. He is the point of contact, but all decisions must be taken by the majority… The convener has not held a single meeting in the last four months and is single-handedly taking decisions like an autocratic leader.”Khimsar said they stayed silent for three months but acted after ‘unfair and non-transparent selection, and an ombudsman was appointed who was there in the last Congress govt without our consent. Also, money was spent but players have not received sufficient uniforms.We had no choice, but to protest.”Support for Kanwat: An RCA source claimed the dispute is about favouring preferred players. “The four members want to play those who have no performance to show. Removing Rahul Kanwant, who has represented Rajasthan in 89 First-Class games, as the chairman of selection committees… shows the level of disregard for someone who knows cricket well. The teams he picked have done well so far and suddenly, he finds himself out of the system,” the source said.Kanwat, a former Rajasthan middle-order batter, also chaired selectors for Central Zone’s Duleep Trophy win in September after 11 years.Khimsar said that the decision to change the selection panel was driven by complaints of unfair practices. “We were getting complaints from the players and their families. We did not radically disturb the structure. We made small changes because we did not want to disturb our players, support staff and daily cricket activities.”This marks the second ad-hoc committee collapse this year. The state government dissolved the RCA executive in June after a fallout between former convener BJP MLA Jaideep Bihani and Khimsar’s group. A new panel under Kumawat was formed, but Khimsar and allies are now nullifying decisions, citing unilateralism and opaque selections.
