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It sounds like there’s quite a stir in the Delhi cricket scene regarding the eligibility criteria for players in the upcoming Delhi Premier League (DPL). The decision by DDCA’s apex council which requires two years of registered players from Delhi as a criterion has sparked controversy, especially since it limits the pool to 120 players out of the current 128 in the draft list. Not only that, DDCA could make a pool of 250 players for this edition of DPL so that the teams get wider option to pick their best players.
The dissatisfaction among some clubs with preparing the draft list suggests there may be concerns about fairness, transparency, or inclusivity in player selection. It’s not uncommon for such decisions to generate debate and scrutiny, especially when they impact the participation and opportunities of players and clubs.
The major concern seems to be the fate of players who have performed exceptionally well in league matches but may not meet the specific criteria to participate in DPL. The local coaches are inundated with phone calls from their students on their chances of playing in the league. The DDCA management has already shortlisted 35 percent of the players who are top performers in Delhi as trying their best to fit in the deserving talents.
With some of the names like Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dawan in the list of 128 players, more players are supposed to be drafted into the list. Still, the club secretaries aren’t happy with the criteria. Nearly 80 of them are meeting and discussing the way forward to include their best players .
There are around 1000 DDCA league matches that happen and it doesn’t mean that all the top performers will get the opportunity to play in DPL. Still, DDCA has mentioned that the top 50 players of the league would be included in the auction list next year. Also, the team owners have an option of taking their players – courtesy of DDCA, who will share the list of players with the team owners before the draft.
Will that be enough? The DDCA is doing whatever it takes but the club secretaries are saying those players with two years of criteria are mostly based on recommendation. But DDCA is undaunted because the members are doing whatever it takes to make this league a success.
