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Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh’s young cricketers have launched a growing campaign for greater opportunities in domestic cricket. Around 250 young cricketers and their parents gathered at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, demanding that the state have three Ranji Trophy teams instead of one.
The protesters argue that Uttar Pradesh has a huge pool of cricketing talent and that a single Ranji team cannot provide enough opportunities for every promising player. The movement has now brought the state’s domestic cricket structure into the spotlight.
250+ Cricketers Unite in Lucknow: The Big Demand That Could Change UP Cricket
The protest was organised under the banner of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Players Association and Cricket Association of Purvanchal. Several players from Purvanchal and Central Uttar Pradesh participated in the demonstration.
The protesters are demanding the creation of three separate cricket associations in Uttar Pradesh, with each association having its own Ranji Trophy team. They believe such a structure would give more players the opportunity to compete at the highest level of domestic cricket.
According to association president Arvind Singh, Uttar Pradesh’s huge population and large number of aspiring cricketers make a three-team structure necessary. The association also claims that the proposal for multiple Ranji teams from the state has been raised in the past.
Why UP’s Young Cricketers Want 3 Ranji Teams Instead of 1
The main concern among the protesters is the limited number of opportunities available in a single Ranji team.
With thousands of young players competing at different levels, the protesters believe that only having one state team creates intense competition for a limited number of spots. As a result, several talented cricketers may struggle to reach the domestic first-class level.
They argue that dividing Uttar Pradesh into different cricket regions could create a larger pathway for emerging players and help more talent reach competitive domestic cricket.
UP T20 League Sparks Fresh Debate Over Regional Representation
The players’ concerns are not limited to the Ranji Trophy. Regional representation in the UP T20 League has also become a major point of discussion.
The association claims that around 150 players are part of the league, but only 16 players are from Purvanchal and Central Uttar Pradesh. It further claims that 89 players from nine districts of Western Uttar Pradesh have been included, while eight players from Delhi are also reportedly part of the competition.
The protesters believe that a wider regional structure could provide players from different parts of the state with more opportunities to showcase their skills.
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For the young cricketers involved, the campaign is about more than just increasing the number of Ranji Trophy teams.
They want better opportunities, wider regional representation and a stronger pathway from local cricket to professional domestic cricket. The protesters believe that a larger and more decentralised cricket structure could help identify and develop talent from different parts of Uttar Pradesh.
September Protest Planned as UP Cricketers Prepare for Bigger Movement
The demonstration at Ekana Stadium is being seen as the beginning of a larger campaign. The association has announced plans for a major protest in September, with young Gen-Z cricketers from across Uttar Pradesh being encouraged to join the movement.
The upcoming protest could bring the issue into sharper focus and put further pressure on the state’s cricket authorities to consider the players’ demands.
Will Uttar Pradesh Get Three Ranji Trophy Teams?
It remains to be seen how the Uttar Pradesh cricket authorities respond to the demand for three Ranji Trophy teams.
For now, the message from the young cricketers is clear: Uttar Pradesh has a massive pool of cricketing talent, and they want more opportunities to prove themselves at the domestic level. With a bigger protest planned for September, the debate over the state’s cricket structure is likely to gain further momentum.
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