Bengal player exodus may benefit Assam cricketers

GUWAHATI, August 21: The exodus of some top Bengal players to the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) has made Assam players hopeful of getting more opportunities to showcase their worth in domestic cricket.
The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is hoping that the absence of Bengal stars like Deep Dasgupta, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Abhishek Jhunjunwala will now enable their own players to break into the East Zone team for domestic inter-zonal tournaments like the Deodhar and Duleep Trophy.
Only two Assam players - Abu Naschim Ahmed and Parvez Aziz - found berths in the East Zone team last season. Both players also featured in the U-19 India team, with pacer Naschim bagging six wickets on the team’s tour to Bangladesh.
The East Zone team comprises players from Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Tripura and Assam. ACA official said players from Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa have till now dominated in the East Zone team. "Since some regular East Zone players have joined the breakaway league, we hope more players from Assam will get berths this time," the official said.
The official, however, said that no player from the state had been approached by the league. "Our players are yet to start their international careers, and since there is the threat of a life ban from the BCCI, our players should avoid offers from them," the official added. With Ranji match fees also being increased, Assam players are hoping for some financial rewards as well.