How TV ads helped unite Jammu and Kashmir cricketers

The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association had last week put out advertisements on local TV channels to get in touch with their players from the valley who have been incommunicado.

Jammu and Kashmir cricketers, who could not train for the upcoming domestic season due to the communication clampdown in the region, have finally managed to get together and will begin their training in Vadodara from Thursday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) had last week put out advertisements on local TV channels to get in touch with their players from the valley who have been incommunicado.

Communication in Kashmir valley has been restricted by the government after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370, which gave the state special status.

Player-cum-mentor Irfan Pathan said the the team will be training at Moti Bagh Ground in Vadodara, owned by the Gaekwads -- the royal family of Baroda.

"All the players have got together in Jammu and we will be reaching Baroda day after (Thursday. The plan of putting out TV advertisements has definitely worked. All the Kashmir based players saw the ad and came to the JKCA office in Jammu," Pathan said.

The team is racing against time to get ready for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, beginning on September 24.

"It is a big challenge but we need to make the best of the time we have. We have to play as many practice games as possible and have team bonding activities. There is no time to work on the players' fitness," added Pathan, who played 29 Tests and 120 ODIs.

With the JKCA unable to contact its players including big names such as Parveez Rasool, Pathan, JKCA CEO Ashiq Ali Bukhari and administrator C K Prasad finally met in Delhi last week to come up with a solution and they decided to put out ads in local television channels.