Munaf left out in the cold

AHMEDABAD: After a morale-boosting five-wicket haul against the visiting Kiwis in a recent tour game at Rajkot, he had a chance of getting a berth in the Indian XI.
But rookie paceman from Bharuch, Munaf Patel, who’s heart was with Ranji champions Mumbai, is now in a neither-here-nor-there situation, with even his parent body, the Gujarat Cricket Association, giving him the cold shoulder.
On Tuesday, the GCA announced its Ranji squad without his name figuring on the 14-man list. Earlier, the Mumbai squad was named without Munaf appearing on it.
The 20-year-old, who impressed a batsman no less than Sachin Tendulkar, will be cooling his heels as the current domestic season gets rolling.
The tall speedster, who first hit headlines after being spotted by Dennis Lillee, will now have to wait to make his Ranji debut, having played in only a few inter-association matches so far.
Gujarat coach Vijay Patel and skipper Mukund Parmar skirted the Munaf issue when contacted by TNN.
With GCA president Narhari Amin abroad and secretary Vikram Patel busy as the local manager of the visiting Australian team, executive committee member Hitesh Patel explained that it was Munaf who was responsible for his predicament.
“Munaf did not approach any one of us during these months requesting an NOC, when he knows the BCCI guidelines stipulate that September 30 is the cut-off date,� says Hitesh.
“Last season, he played a match for GCA and we have been sending him the MRF academy. So he should show little courtesy to the association in gaining permission to join another side.�
“Last week, he approached me and chief coach Anshuman Gaekwad Motera. But he could not produce the contract of the job he is supposed have taken up in Mumbai,� adds Hitesh.
“We told him to meet BCA secretary Ratnakar Shetty and Vikrambhai Mumbai during the recent India-Australia one-dayer. However, he failed sort matters out there and now Vikram is busy till the end of the month.�