KSCA's short-sightedness in the build-up to longer format: Injuries, delayed prep for Ranji Trophy season

Bengaluru: The Dr (Capt.) K Thimmappaiah Memorial tournament, a premier four-day red-ball competition starting Thursday, will mark the beginning of Karnataka’s preparations for the domestic season. The tournament has attracted the cream of Indian talent, with powerhouses such as Mumbai, Baroda, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha among the 16 participating teams. Karnataka has four teams in the fray. Held across Bengaluru and Mysuru, the tournament assumes added significance as performances here will form the basis for selecting the probables for Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy squad. The Ranji Trophy championship begins next month. While most other teams have already featured in similar tournaments, such as the Buchi Babu Invitational in Tamil Nadu, and have accumulated valuable game-time in the format, Karnataka has yet to begin training. The delay comes amid ongoing administrative challenges in the state’s cricket setup. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) only announced its teams on Monday, with training set to start on Tuesday, just two days before the opening fixtures. Much of the disruption stems from the hurried organisation of the Maharaja Trophy T20 tournament. Held behind closed doors in Mysuru after Bengaluru city police denied permission at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium due to safety concerns, the tournament ran from August 11 to 28. Players had little time to recover and adapt to the red-ball format. The timing of the T20 tournament has left its mark, with several players carrying injuries. Power-hitter Abhinav Manohar, pacer Manvanth Kumar, all-rounder Shubhang Hegde, and left-arm spinner Paras Gurbax Arya are among those sidelined due to injuries sustained in Mysuru. Karun Nair, returning to Karnataka after stints with Vidarbha, will be unavailable until September 19. KSCA XI will also miss pacer Prasidh Krishna, who remains on standby for the Asia Cup.Selectors Yet to be Named Although the KSCA four-day matches began in June, selectors have not been officially announced. Anand Katti is reportedly the chairperson of the senior panel, with C Raghu, Amit Verma, and Tejpal Kothari as colleagues. They have been regularly seen at league matches, including the Maharaja Trophy, but no formal communication has been made regarding their appointments or the constitution of other men’s and women’s committees.Goud to Continue with India U-19 Yere Goud is expected to continue as head coach. However, he will temporarily be unavailable for the senior team as he is currently with the India U-19 squad touring Australia from September to October. Goud is expected to join the state team just before the start of the Ranji Trophy on October 15. In his absence, it is likely that bowling coach Mansur Ali Khan will continue to oversee training during the Thimmappaiah tournament, maintaining continuity for the players ahead of the domestic season.