DDCA picks Rajeev Nayyar as coach, Chandigarh assn unlikely to relieve him

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, September 20

Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA) senior selector and former U-23 coach Rajeev Nayyar’s name on Sunday featured in a selection list of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) coaching panel. The local cricket association has, however, denied him permission to join the new assignment, some sources close to the matter have revealed.

Nayyar, of the most decorated representatives of the UTCA, reportedly held a meeting with some UT officials in this regard, but they refused to give him permission to join the DDCA. It is his contract with the UTCA that is getting in the way.

Despite attempts, no official word was received from the Union Territory Cricket Association authorities till the filing of this report.

In 2021, Nayyar replaced former Indian pacer VRV Singh as the head coach of the Chandigarh senior men’s team. Nayyar, a former Ranji Trophy cricketer from Himachal Pradesh, has played 96 first-class games. He was also the first batsman to score a century for Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. He has several national- and international-level records under his belt. He is also a recipient of Himachal Pradesh’s Parshuram Award. He had emerged as the first batsman from Himachal to score 952 runs in first-class cricket in 1999.

Jaswant appointed head coach by DDCA

Meanwhile, Chandigarh-based Jaswant Rai, who has played 70 first-class matches and has coached the Himachal Pradesh senior men’s and women’s teams, has been selected as the head coach of the u-19 team by the Delhi and District Cricket Association.