Cricket News: BCCI grapples with domicile loophole

BCCI is working overtime to ensure that new teams have a smooth passage to first-class cricket. Besides grappling with the fixtures of the domestic calendar, the board faces the task of ensuring local talents get their due in the new teams from the Northeast, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Puducherry. It is learnt that some players, who have fallen out of favour with their state teams, are eyeing spots in the new teams using their roots to show domicile status. As per BCCI rules, a state can avail the services of three professional cricketers from other states. However, it seems the new teams could exploit the domicile loophole given the paucity of time to prepare for the domestic season. It is also learnt that registered players from states like Delhi, Haryana and Tamil Nadu are exploring the options of playing for the new teams. The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators rushed the induction of the new teams in trying to abide by the ruling of the apex court as per the Lodha committee recommendations. However, it is learnt that the Northeast states are running against time to prepare teams for the season, which gets underway with the Vijay Hazare one-day tournament in mid-September.