Jadeja in a piquant situation

Out of the Indian team. And now out of the North Zone team. That's the sad predicament Ajay Jadeja finds himself in. If he was ruled out of the Indian team to Australia because of injury he is out of the North Zone team on controversial and technical grounds.

Jadeja, commencing his comeback trail, was chosen to lead Wills XI in the Wills Trophy tournament earlier this month. Wills XI lost to Karnataka in the opening round and Jadeja scored 14 and conceded 23 runs in four overs. Ostensibly he was not included in the North Zone team - which was announced before the Wills XI was chosen - because there were still doubts over his fitness. Once these doubts were cleared, following his showing in the Wills Trophy game, Jadeja was a last minute inclusion in the North Zone team which played West Zone in the Deodhar Trophy opener on January 19. He played a leading role in North Zone's victory by scoring a brilliant 91 and effecting a couple of run outs.

Jadeja was included in the team by manager Suresh Luthra on a directive from national selector from North Zone Madan Lal. The former Indian all rounder obviously felt that with Jadeja having cleared doubts over his fitness, a player of his calibre, eager to make a comeback into the national side, should play in the Deodhar Trophy as well. ``As far as I am concerned I have acted in the best interest of the game,'' he is quoted to have said.

Sunil Dev, the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association secretary, has however questioned Madan Lal's authority in forcing Luthra to include Jadeja. Dev's objection is on eligibility grounds. Jadeja is not registered with any North Zone unit. According to Dev, ``that is the reason why his name was not even discussed in the selection committee when the North Zone team was picked.''

Dev has disclosed that he has received compalaints from the other state units on Jadeja's inclusion and as such has written to Luthra not to include Jadeja for North's next match, which was played against East Zone at Baroda on Saturday. He has also sought an explanation from Madan Lal, termed the act as ``gross indiscipline'' and he has also informed the president and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India about this ``unconstitutional'' act. Clearly then the last has not been heard on this controversial subject.

On technical grounds, Jadeja is at a disadvantage. After more than a decade with Haryana, he opted out of the state side. Early in the season there were reports that Jadeja may turn out as a professional for Jammu & Kashmir. But pre occupied as he was first with matches against New Zealand and then his injury, Jadeja could not have, in any case, played for J & K. His letter to the BCCI indicating his desire to play for J & K was received well after the September 30 deadline for registrations. So, as things stand, he is neither with Haryana nor with J & K. Finding himself in no man's land, Jadeja is in an unenviable situation. One only hopes that petty minded officials do not make a big issue over the whole episode and that the controversy does not have a snowballing and detrimental effect on a player who still has much to contribute to Indian cricket.