" We couldn't..." - MS Dhoni's special request denied by Tamil Nadu Cricket Association
MS Dhoni made a special request to Tamil Nadu Cricket Association but his request has been turned down by the cricketing body. Know what the request was.
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has turned down former Indian captain MS Dhoni's proposal to include the Jharkhand state team in the upcoming Buchi Babu competition. Notably, TNCA has decided to officially reintroduce this domestic tournament after a six-year hiatus, following a lacklustre performance by the Tamil Nadu team in the Ranji Trophy. The last instance of this esteemed tournament taking place was in 2017.
This tournament features a total of 12 teams, organized into four groups of three. The teams that lead their respective groups will progress to the semi-finals. The matches are scheduled to be held in Dindigul, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Coimbatore and will follow a four-day format.
Interestingly, numerous state teams have expressed keen interest in participating in this competition. Despite his association with the Chennai franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the proposal put forth by former captain Dhoni to include Jharkhand was rejected due to the absence of available slots in the already constituted 12-team tournament.
Ex-India legend Srikkanth upbeat with the resurgence of the Buchi Babu tournament
“MS Dhoni wanted Jharkhand included, but it was too tight. We couldn’t fit them because we already have 12 teams. Even Services and Chhattisgarh wanted to participate. We have decided to hold the tournament in Coimbatore, Salem, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli on green-tops as it will give players a good preparation since clubs use the event to prepare for the pre-season," TNCA secretary RI Palani was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
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K Srikkanth, a former India captain and the Chairman of Selectors has lauded the reintroduction of the upcoming All India Buchi Babu Invitational Cricket Tournament, deeming it crucial for the resurgence of First-Class cricket. He also went on to highlight some of the prominent Indian cricket figures who have previously taken part in this tournament.
“You had some of the biggest names like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Roger Binny, G.R. Viswanath," he added.
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