Rule change allows Sanjay Bangar's son Aryan to play for Puducherry

Aryan Bangar

Team India assistant coach Sanjay Bangar's son Aryan's sudden switch from Mumbai to Puducherry has created a flutter in the city's cricketing circles. Aryan was vying for a place in the Mumbai U-19 team after being named as one of the probables at the start of the season. He had also participated in the U-19 KC Mahindra Shield, a selection tournament for the Mumbai U-19 team in which he scored 46 runs in four innings and claimed one wicket in two matches.

However, just before the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy that began on November 19, Aryan figured in the U-19 Puducherry team and played two games for the new team. According to Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials, Aryan had applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in October which was granted to him. The cut-off date to apply for an NOC is usually September 1. However, this season onwards, the BCCI will allow a replacement for guest players if they are ruled out of the entire season due to injury.

BCCI's General Manager Syed Saba Karim clarified Aryan is a replacement for a guest player in the Puducherry squad. "Generally, all guest players are registered before the season begins, but this time, the only decision we have made is, that if a registered guest player is unfit and unavailable for the entire season, then we will allow a replacement to come through. So, that's how Aryan is playing there [Puducherry] as he has got the NOC from the MCA as well from the Cricket Association of Puducherry.

"There are around three or four such cases so far," Saba Karim told mid-day. It is not known which guest player has Aryan replaced. This is the first season where the BCCI has allowed teams to field three guest players across its age group tournaments considering the emergence of new teams. In November, the BCCI decided midway that children of government employees on transfer would be eligible to play as local players for the state association where the government employee has been transferred.

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