BCCI promises live telecast of Duleep Trophy final amid fans backlash

MUMBAI: The BCCI has recently come under fire on social media from fans due to the lack of live coverage of the quarterfinals of the ongoing Duleep Trophy at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Discussing the matter, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has clarified that it will broadcast the final of one of the premier domestic tournaments live. The summit clash of the Duleep Trophy will be played from September 11 to 15 at the BCCI’s CEG Ground in CoE."There will be a live telecast of the final of the Duleep Trophy. We have an agreement with our broadcaster to ensure live coverage of 100 days of domestic cricket, which means that all our domestic tournaments are covered live. The BCCI gives utmost importance to domestic cricket, which is why you will see that almost all the India players are in action in these matches," Saikia told TOI on Sunday.With limited cricketing action for almost a month since the England test series concluded on August 4, Indian cricket fans were “frustrated and disappointed” and vented their ire against the BCCI on social media as there was no live coverage of the season’s opening domestic tournament, the Duleep Trophy. This edition of the prestigious Duleep Trophy, which features several India players, marks the return to the traditional zonal format after last year’s switch to India A, B, C, and D teams. The tournament will also be the first where the BCCI trials its "serious substitution rule". So far, fans have thus missed watching some fine individual performances by Auqib Nabi (five for 28 in 10.1 overs), Jharkhand left-arm spinner Manishi (six for 111 in 22.2 overs), Ankit Kumar (198), Yash Dhull (133), and Ayush Badoni (150 not out) in the North Zone vs East Zone quarter-final. Danish Malewar (203), Rajat Patidar (125 & 66), Shubham Sharma (122), and Yash Rathod (87 not out & 78) starred in the Central Zone versus North East Zone quarter-final. Another highlight was India’s veteran pacer Mohammed Shami’s return to action: Shami took 1 for 100 in 23 overs and 0 for 36 in 11 overs. The BCCI secretary’s statement may leave already-upset fans even more disappointed, as they will miss watching the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sarfaraz Khan in action when they turn out for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final at the CoE from September 4. In sharp contrast, all the Duleep Trophy matches from the last season were held in Anantapur and Bengaluru and broadcast live.