Ashok Dinda to leave Bengal after getting NOC from state cricket association

Former India fast bowler Ashok Dinda is set to leave the Bengal team after the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) handed him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing the veteran to represent another state in the upcoming season.

The news comes after Ashok Dinda was dropped from Bengal’s Ranji Trophy squad after the opening match against Kerala last season due to a public feud with Bengal’s bowling coach Ranadeb Bose. Ashok Dinda had allegedly hurled abuses at the former Bengal pacer in front of all his teammates.

The 36-year-old had then requested CAB president Avishek Dalmiya to hand him a release letter, enabling him to play for another state. The development finally came to fruition yesterday.

Ashok Dinda had first hinted at an exit after he was left out of the Bengal team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament last November.

Dalmiya wrote in a letter to Ashok Dinda:

“We would like to hereby accord our concurrence to your request and this letter may kindly be treated as our No Objection Certificate to your playing for another state team in [the] 2020-21 season.”

Ashok Dinda’s contribution to Bengal cricket was immense: CAB president

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Ashok Dinda, who picked 29 wickets in 13 ODIs and 9 T20Is, is Bengal’s second-highest wicket-taker with 420 wickets, behind veteran Utpal Chatterjee’s tally of 504 first-class wickets.

Dalmiya concluded by saying:

“I must assert that your contribution to Bengal cricket is immense over the years and it is something that would always be acknowledged and cherished by the association.”

After the public spat happened last December, Bengal senior team coach Arun Lal had asked everybody to look at the opportunity Dinda’s vacancy would provide to some of the young players.

Now that he is permanently gone, young fast bowlers in West Bengal must be excited for domestic cricket to resume so that they can have a go at filling the vacant spot.