Buzz: Dhawan to lead Delhi in Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy

Senior India opener Shikhar Dhawan will lead a 20-member Delhi squad at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy National T20 Championships, which will kick off the 2020-21 domestic season next month.

India speedster Ishant Sharma, who missed the ongoing tour of Australia due to side strain suffered during the Indian Premier League, has also been named in the squad.    

However, it has been learnt that the 32-year-old will not be available for all matches.

Others in the squad include Nitish Rana, Pawan Negi and Manjot Kalra.

The tournament begins from January 10 and Delhi is placed in Elite Group E along with Mumbai, Andhra, Kerala and Puducherry and league matches will be at the Wankhede Stadium.

Delhi will play their first match against the hosts Mumbai on January 11.

Dhawan feels that Ajinkya Rahane-led side's dominating all-round performance in Virat Kohli's absence, in the ongoing second Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, is delivering a strong message after the humiliating eight-wicket loss in the pink-ball Test.

"India have done so well in the second Test even in the absence of Virat Kohli. I'm very confident that India will (win the series). They are doing so well and giving such a strong message with their bowling and batting. It shows that our bench-strength is also prepared to take on any side," Dhawan told reporters here.

"I'm very pleased and happy that our players are doing well in Down Under," he added.

Dhawan last featured for India in the white-ball series against Australia and scored 201 runs including two-fifties.

Squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Nitish Rana, Himmat Singh, Kshitiz Sharma,  Jonty Sidhu, Hiten Dalal, Lalit Yadav, Shivank Vashisth, Manjot Kalra, Siddhant Sharma, Anuj Rawat (wk), Pradeep Sangwan, Simarjeet Singh, Pawan Negi, yush Badoni, Vaibhav Kandpal, Lakshay Thareja (wk), Pawan Suyal, Karan Dagar.

Will request Bedi to withdraw his demand of removing his name from a stand: DDCA Prez

Describing Bishan Singh Bedi as the 'Bisham Pitamah' of Delhi cricket, DDCA President Rohan Jaitley on Monday said the association will request the former India spinner to withdraw his demand of removing his name from a stand at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground.

Bedi had criticised the controversy and corruption-ridden Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) for choosing to install the statue of an administrator at the stadium instead of an inspirational cricketer and demanded that his name be removed from one of the Kotla stands.

Rohan, who recently took over as DDCA President, said he would have preferred Bedi to discuss the issue with him personally and not made "below the belt" remarks against his father, who died last year due to multiple health issues.

DDCA went ahead and unveiled the statue on Monday.

"Bedi ji is the 'Bhisham Pitamah' of Delhi cricket. If there are reservations, there are better ways of discussing. I am a youngster and I expect to be guided by the elders in the fraternity. His name on the stands is his legacy, an honour bestowed upon him," Rohan said after the unveiling ceremony. 

"These matters have to decided by the Apex Council. It's not in my domain. It's not in my power to remove anyone's name. We have discussed it within the DDCA. We are going to request him to reconsider it. It's a long affiliation between the DDCA and Mr Bedi."

Asked if it really matters to DDCA if Bedi's name stays on the stands of the Kotla ground, Rohan said "it does".

"It matters, I want his name to be there. I resect him as much as my father, if he wants to scold me, he can pull my ear but you can't hit below the belt when it is not required.

"Raising (casting) aspersion on someone who is not among us is not fair. If there are reservations, I would have addressed rather than hearing from the media. I am accessible, available to everyone on board."

Rohan said the decisions of renaming the stadium as Arun Jaitley Stadium and installation of his father's statue were taken before he became the DDCA president.

"There are ways to address the grievances. If you start attacking someone, who has just stepped into the office.... I am trying my best to get DDCA's glory back. I can't do it overnight, it will take some time," he said.

Sharing his vision for DDCA, Rohan said players will be at the centre of all development. 

"World class infrastructure for players and members, a world class gym will be there in the next few months. We are upgrading cricketing infrastructure, the new lights are being planned. We are already communicating with the DDA on setting up of academies. Two grounds have been identified already.

"We are trying to bring in a more transparent system. Development plans will begin. The old clubhouse has issues, we are already communicating with IIT Delhi to rectify".