The Apex Council of the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) has revised the state squad for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 at its meeting held today.
There was only one change – the removal of Arpit Bhatewara’s name with his replacement being Shembhalang Pyngrope, who had been one of the standbys.
No reason was provided in the MCA’s official release notifying the change to the senior men’s selection committee’s decision but Arpit had been one of several players whose inclusion in the squad had proved divisive.
Although he has played club cricket in the Shillong league for several seasons, there were questions raised on social media about his eligibility. Then, last week, he was included in a list of players that a pressure group, the Hynniewtrep Youths Council (HYC), had a problem with, again concerning whether those on the list – all non-tribals – were genuine Meghalaya domiciles.
However, Arpit is the only change to the squad; the MCA has backed the selection of all the others that the HYC had named.
The selection for the senior men’s team is for the first two Ranji matches of the season and could change in the following matches depending on performance. Meghalaya’s first Ranji match will be against Services away from October 11 to 14 before they return home to face Tripura from October 18 to 21 in Shillong.
Meghalaya have qualified for an Elite Group this season after their phenomenal run in the Plate Group in 2023-24, where they were the runners-up to Hyderabad.
The team will continue to be captained by Kishan Lyngdoh, with Dippu Ch Sangma serving as vice-captain.
Revised Meghalaya Ranji Trophy squad (first two matches): Aryan Borah, Akash Kumar Choudhary, Shembhalang Pyngrope, Bamanbha Shangpliang, Bijon Dey, Chengkam Sangma, Dippu Sangma (V-C), Jaskirat Singh Sachdeva, Kishan Lyngdoh (C), Ram Gurung, Roshan Warbah, Swarajeet Das, Ajay Duhan (BCCI approved guest professional player), Sumit Kumar (BCCI approved guest professional player), Anirudh B (BCCI approved guest professional player)
Standbys: Adarsh Joshi, Anish Charak, Lerry G Sangma, Yogesh Tiwari
Support staff: Prabhakar Bairgond (Head Coach), Moisten Ch Marak (Assistant Coach), Surojit Biswas (Physio), Vikash Singh Chauhan (Trainer), Dister Marbaniang (Manager)
