Pathan seeks BCCI help for J&K cricketers

'I have been trying to stay in touch with the players but I have been unable to do so.'

Jammu and Kashmir cricket mentor Irfan Pathan hopes the current restrictions in the Valley are lifted soon so his players can resume their training for the upcoming domestic season.

“The main problem is that our pre-season preparations have taken a big setback because we had worked hard in the last one month. I had arranged for an international trainer VP Sudarshan, who has worked with the Indian team in the past, to help the boys,” Pathan told Rediff.com.

“But the problem is that they can't train at the moment (because of the restrictions) but we are hoping that things will be normal soon and we can start preparing for the new season, which starts in December.”

Jammu and Kashmir was forced to pull out of the upcoming Vizzy Trophy – a pre-season tournament -- after the state association failed to establish contact with the players since restrictions were imposed on August 5, when Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was revoked and the state bifurcated into two Union Territories.

Earlier this month, Pathan along with 100 other cricketers were asked to leave the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team’s pre-season camp before the government scrapped provisions of Article 370.

Pathan revealed he has been unable to get in touch some of his players, who are based in Kashmir.

“I have been trying to stay in touch with the players but I have been unable to do so,” he said.

The former India all-rounder said he discussed the issue with the Committee of Administrators in Mumbai on Monday on the sidelines of the ‘Conflict of Interest’ meeting at the BCCI headquarters.

He said that he is confident that the BCCI will come forward to help the cricketers in Jammu and Kashmir if things are not back to normal soon.

“We will have a meeting where the JKCA officials will talk to COA to get some clarity. We will also give them a few suggestions and I am sure BCCI will help us out. They have always been very helpful in the past too and I am sure in future also they will extend the helping hand,” he said.