Dropped after the Bangladesh tour, the Punjab southpaw joins the rebel league
Chandigarh: As India’s only cricketer with an experience of 35 Twenty-20 matches at different levels, Dinesh Mongia’s name happens to be among the forerunners in any Twenty-20 team in the country. On Monday, Mongia’s name figured in the list for the latest version of the game, though in a different league, Essel group’s proposed Indian Cricket league, thus ending all the speculations regarding his association with ICL. Dinesh Mongia along with six other Punjab Ranji players joined theRs 100 million proposed cricket league. Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Ishan Malhatra, Sarabjeet Singh, Rajesh Sharma, Sumit Kalia and Munish Sharmaare the other Punjab players who joined ICL on Monday.
After being dropped from the Indian team after the Bangladesh Tour in April, Mongia’s move came as a surprise for many in the region. Though his name was speculated for the rebel league, it was only on Monday that it was confirmed.
It has been learnt that Mongia took this decision after his name was not included in the Indian team for Twenty-20 World Cup to be held in South Africa in September this year. Mongia has been in good form in the English county Circuit playing an important role in Leicestershire’s Twenty-20 campaign in the last two years.
When Sportline tried to contact Mongia over phone, Mongia refused to say anything about the deal and said that he will talk only after completing the necessary formalities.
Dinesh Mongia has been joined by another former Indian cricketer Reetinder Singh Sodhi who after representing Punjab for more than ten years decided to go the ICL way. While Dinesh Mongia was still in the reckoning for the Indian cricket team, Reetinder Singh Sodhi last played for India in November 2002 in a series against West Indies. The other players including Sarabjeet Singh, Ishan Malhatra, Rajesh Sharma are taking part in the current Buchi Babu Cricket tournament being played at Chennai, while Sumit Kalia and Munish Sharmaare not in the current Punjab team.
Commenting upon the move by the Punjab players, M P Pandove, secretary, Punjab Cricket Association told Sportline that the Association is sending the replacements for the Buchi Babu tournament and the rebel players will not be eligible to play for Punjab again in the future. “The players have their own choice to choose whichever team or association they want to play with. Nobody can force them but they will not play for Punjab in the coming Ranji seasons. It will not affect the team in a big way as only two regular members of the squad have left. We have a lot of young talent and I am hopeful that the tem will perform better in the coming season.” said Pandov.
Punjab coach Gursharan Singh though remained unperturbed by the recent development. “It isthe decision of the players. We still have a lot ofyoung players to perform and I am looking towards working with the young guys this season,” said Singh who is currentlyin Chennai with thePunjab team.
Source: Express News Service