Delhi's Ranji Trophy campaign hit a new low on Friday after the team's best batter Ayush Badoni, who is going through a rough patch, was asked to stay back in the team hotel at the behest of powerful officials, who wanted to teach the "IPL star" a lesson.
Keeping Badoni out of 15 didn't make much of a difference to Delhi's inept batting as Uttarakhand's medium-pace bowlers shot them out for 147 in a Ranji Trophy group D match in Mohali.
In five completed innings so far this season, Delhi batters have failed to cross 200 on three occasions and the highest individual score is Vaibhaav Kandpal's 49 in the last game.
On the day, it was Yash Dhull's 47 and at stumps, Uttarakhand were 98 for four with Navdeep Saini getting three wickets.
However, more than mere statistic, Badoni, who scored 41 in the last game and is perhaps the only player in the current Delhi stable who is rated highly on the national circuit, had to be put on the chopping block to accommodate Kshitiz Sharma, who is believed to be close to a former BCCI office bearer.
Ranji Trophy: Ayush Badoni asked to stay in hotel as Delhi shot out for 147 vs Uttarakhandc
"Yes, there was pressure to play Kshitiz and specifically to keep Badoni out of 15, so that he doesn't even get BCCI's allotted match fees. Only 15 players are entitled to BCCI match fees. Since he can't be allowed in PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area), it was thought that it would be better off to keep him in the hotel," a senior DDCA official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
But why wasn't he even brought to the ground when could have watched the proceedings from an adjoining VIP gallery? "The team managers would have had to arrange for his meals separately as BCCI wouldn't have paid for it and also during breaks or matches, he couldn't have attended the nets as Punjab CA have their camp on. So it was better to keep him in the hotel," the official, who is close to a DDCA director said.
There is a school of thought Badoni has lost focus after two seasons of IPL and keeping him in a hotel was a way of teaching him a lesson.
"If Ayush had scored a 100, those who desperately want to see him out of Delhi cricket wouldn't have got a chance to raise their voice and push for cricketers like Kshitiz, who don't deserve to be in the dressing room.
"Even he should take the blame for not scoring runs," the senior official, who sounded helpless said.
Kshitiz, who many in Delhi consider a decent club-level cricketer, shouldered arms to an innocuous Abhay Negi delivery pitched on a length and just cut back enough to peg back the off-stump.
However, it is understood that DDCA president Rohan Jaitley would crack the whip in case things go all awry after the current game.
"Rohan's heart is in the right place but it is about time he takes some tough calls. If Kshitiz doesn't score runs in the second innings, the president's intervention would be required," the official added.
More disappointing was skipper Himmat Singh's manner of dismissal as Deepak Dhapola, who bowls in mid-120 clicks, bowled him through the gate.
Dhull, who was considered an India prospect long back, has been exposed badly with serious technical problems in his stance and set-up (shoulder and head falling across off-stump).
The manner of getting out has been identical as he gets squared up to deliveries on the channel as Devendra Bora did on the day.
Brief Scores: Delhi 147 in 49.2 overs (Yash Dhull 47, Abhay Negi 3/34, Devendra Bora 3/40). Uttarakhand 98/4 (Avneesh Sudha 55 batting, Navdeep Saini 3/39).