No T20 cricket for Punjab U-21 players, says PCA

In a bid to encourage youngsters to focus on the longer format, the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has decided to restrict its Under-21 players from playing Twenty 20 cricket, including the cash-rich IPL. PCA has said that it will not provide NOC to any player registered with the PCA under the age of 21 years, who play in T20 game for any club/team/institution.

The decision was taken at the state association’s Administrative Committee meeting in Mohali on Sunday, which is chaired by PCA president I S Bindra.

The secretory of the PCA, MP Pandove, said that T20 cricket was preventing youngsters to hone their skills needed for the longer format of the game. “The shortest version of the game being played by the junior players is causing this damage,” Pandove felt. “We strongly felt that 17 to 21 years are formative years for any player and there should be no distraction. The step which we have taken is in the larger interest of players and the country’s cricket as a whole.”

The board is aware that some section of players will not be happy with this move, but it was done in the larger interest of cricket and should reap results in the long run.

This move comes after IPL was cited as one of the reasons for India’s abject display in Australia, where India have lost three tests in a row and face their second whitewash in less than an year. Sushil Kumar, the PCA spokesperson said, “The idea was being discussed among PCA members for some time now. It was felt that youngsters were losing their focus and were not ready to grind it out during the two, three or four day games.”

There is still one exception to the ban; the players who are contracted under the BCCI will be allowed to play T20 cricket, even if they are Under-21. But at the moment, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Rahul Sharma are the only contracted players by the BCCI and all of them are above 21.

Punjab’s move should also encourage other state associations to take such measure, but with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa and Jharkhand starting their own T20 leagues, this seems highly unlikely.