'It's a matter of concern': Niranjan Shah wants BCCI to act as Jackson quits Saurashtra

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Niranjan Shah has urged the national cricket board to act quickly after domestic cricketer Sheldon Jackson departed from Saurashtra to Puducherry ahead of the upcoming domestic season. It was indeed a huge blow for the Saurashtra side as the star batsman was instrumental in helping them win their maiden Ranji Trophy earlier this year.

'Matter of concern': Niranjan Shah

While speaking to the media portal, Niranjan Shah went on to say that it is a 'matter of concern' for the home state because in the longer run, players will start negotiating with other associations. He added that the BCCI should introduce a cap system to ensure a guest player doesn’t earn more than a certain amount. He then said that the nine new teams, who have been included in the Ranji Trophy straightaway, will start bargaining like this.

The former BCCI Secretary, during the interaction, explained that there were many good players in Mumbai, Karnataka and other teams who couldn’t find a place in their respective teams because of big competition, as a result of which the guest player concept was introduced. Furthermore, Shah said that now players have started their own valuation and Ranji Trophy cannot become like IPL.

Sheldon Jackson's association with  Saurashtra

"This has been one of the hardest decisions that I had to make and it's not been easy for me but I feel its the right time for me to move on and play as a professional in some other team or state," Jackson stated in a release issued by Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA).

Jackson made his debut for Saurashtra in 2011 and scored 5634 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 49.42, including 19 hundreds and 27 half-centuries. The right-hander scored 809 runs in the 2019-20 season in 10 matches (18 innings) at an average of 50.56. Sheldon has got the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from SCA to play domestic cricket from other associations.

"The journey so far has been fantastic and I am thankful to everyone at Saurashtra Cricket Association for standing by my side in my good and bad times," the 33-year-old said.

"I am very thankful to Mr Niranjan Shah (SCA Secretary) and Mr Jaydev Shah (SCA President) who have been father figures to me on and off the field and have been my constant support in my times of darkness and when I was low in my performances," Sheldon Jackson added.

(With PTI Inputs)