JKCA begins talent hunt for young cricketers across J&K: Brigadier Gupta

Srinagar : With an aim to tap new talent across the Jammu and Kashmir the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association on Wednesday kicked-off current year’s Talent Hunt Mission 2023 across J&K.
According to a statement issued here, Member Administration, Sub-Committee , JKCA, Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta said that to find out new talent and provide opportunities to the cricketers belonging to the far flung areas, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association is conducting Talent Hunt 2023 at six different venues across J&K including Srinagar, Kupwara, Bijbehara, Jammu, Kishtwar and Poonch. He also said that the players from districts Kupwara and Baramulla will participate in trials at Galizoo Stadium, Kupwara on 27 April and from Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam districts on 29-30 April at Govt. Boy’s Secondary School, Bijbehara. Brig Gupta said that the players belonging to the districts of Central Kashmir and Bandipora and including Ladakh will participate in trials at Sher–I-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar from May 1 till 3rd of May, 2023.
He also said that in Jammu region, talent hunt trails will begin at Kishtwar wherein players from the districts of Kishtwar, Ramban and Doda will participate at Govt. Degree College, Kishtwar. The trials at Kishtwar will be held for two days i.e. April 27 and 28 and said that the players from Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi will undertake the trials at Army Ground, Poonch on May 6. Adding further, he said that the players belonging to the remaining districts of Jammu will attend the trials at JKCA Complex, Jammu from April 30 to May 4.
Gupta said that two separate meetings were held at Jammu and Srinagar for final coordination which was attended by the members of the Selection Committees and the Organisers. He stated that keeping in mind the lessons learnt from the last year’s Talent Hunt, a few changes have been made in Talent Hunt 2023.
Elaborating further, he stated that this year Talent Hunt is being organised only for Junior age groups namely Under-16 and Under-19 Boy’s and Under-15 and Under-19 Girl’s. However, in view of the introduction of U-23 format for women, this year by the BCCI, Under-23 Women Talent Hunt has also been included, he added and advised the members that emphasis in Talent Hunt 2023 should be on quality and not quantity. Two different Selection Committees for Jammu and Kashmir regions have been made, said the Administrator, adding that the same Selection Committees will conduct trials at all venues to ensure uniformity in the selection. Unlike last year, the Talent Hunt trials are not being conducted simultaneously but at different dates at different venues.
“This year the players desirous for participating in Talent Hunt were registered earlier in order to check their eligibility as per the norms and conditions laid down by the BCCI. This would result in saving time and effort,” he said.
Member Legal Affairs, Sub-Committee, JKCA. Sunil Sethi said, “We are determined to identify new talent, train them and thereafter provide them a platform to showcase their talent at both the UT and National Level,”
Mithun Manhas, Member Cricket Operations & Development, Sub-Committee, JKCA, informed that this year our emphasis would be more on providing match practice to our teams and to strengthen players mentally.
“For this, we have included Yoga as a part of our training program. The Players selected during the Talent Hunt will help in further strengthening our teams and provide a pool for the future,” said Manhas.