The prevailing unrest in Manipur “hasn’t affected cricket and cricketers” there, according to officials of the state cricket association.
In spite of the odds, the Manipur Cricket Association (MNCA) is keen to hold the pre-season and conditioning camps of its senior and junior cricketers in Imphal. The state capital now has a few grounds, with floodlights installed at the Luwangpokpa Cricket Ground in March.
However, keeping all possible situations and circumstances in mind, the state association is also open to having the respective teams’ pre-season camps outside Manipur.
Calcutta, too, is among the options for Manipur’s pre-season camps. In fact, Manipur and other northeastern states have played quite a few matches in the city since their induction in the domestic circuit.
The unrest in the northeastern state began on May 3 after a solidarity rally was held in the 10 hill districts opposing the majority Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Over 100 people have died so far and thousands displaced in clashes between the largely Hindu Meiteis and mostly Christian Kukis.
“Till date, our cricket and cricketers haven’t been affected. And neither have our official works. Look, it’s tough to predict about the situation here in the coming days, but we’re keeping our options open.
“Ideally, we want the pre-season and conditioning camps to be held in Imphal as we have two-three grounds here. But depending upon the situation here, we’ll be taking a call.
“We have a few other venues in mind as well, which are outside the state as well and yes, Calcutta could also be one of the places (for the pre-season),” MNCA general manager T. Thingom told The Telegraph from Imphal on Thursday.
The MNCA plans to begin the pre-season next month.
“There’s still time for the domestic season to begin though. But we mull getting on with our preparation from July. Having said that, it’s the rainy season now, so it’s something that needs to be taken into account as well,” Thinghom said.
“This is the first time we’ll be playing at the elite level of the Ranji Trophy. So there are quite a few important decisions that we have to take as far as our senior men’s cricket team is concerned,” he added.
Since the 2019-20 season, Manipur, unlike other northeastern teams, have focused primarily on their homegrown talent instead of relying on the outstation players. Led by LM Keishangbam in the previous edition of Ranji, Manipur had lost in the plate group final to Bihar in Patna by 220 runs in January.
The skipper was also their top run-getter last season (561 runs).
In the coming Ranji edition, Manipur have been placed in group A alongside defending champions Saurashtra, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Haryana and Services.