Delhi Ranji Team in Crisis: Poor Form, Internal Chaos Leave Season on the Brink

Delhi’s Ranji Trophy campaign has hit a new low. With just seven points from four matches and a sixth-place standing in Group D, the team’s season is all but slipping away. To have any chance of staying in contention, Delhi must now win all remaining fixtures—an unlikely feat given their poor form and worsening off-field turmoil.

What started as a season of cautious optimism has quickly unraveled into chaos, marked by internal politics, questionable selections, and lack of preparation. The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has once again found itself in controversy, with one of its own selectors, Manu Nayar, reportedly leaving mid-season to play in a private cricket league in the United States.

Selector Leaves Mid-Season Despite Warning

The controversy comes just days after the DDCA warned officials and players against participating in unapproved tournaments. The warning followed the suspension of junior selection committee chairman Ashu Dani for his involvement in the unsanctioned Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) in Jammu & Kashmir.

Despite the directive, Nayar — along with support staff members Manan Sharma and Gautam Vadhera — is said to have traveled to the U.S. to take part in a private event, according to Times of India. The move has reignited concerns over discipline and accountability within the DDCA.

Poor Preparation and Selection Blunders

Delhi’s on-field woes mirror the dysfunction off it. The DDCA retained head coach Sarandeep Singh despite the team’s underwhelming performance last season. Player trials were rushed, with some Ranji selections based on T20 performances in the Delhi Premier League, raising eyebrows about the process used to pick a squad for the red-ball format.

Adding to the setbacks, Delhi entered the season without a single multi-day practice match, unlike other teams that played competitive four-day fixtures to prepare. The lack of match practice has been evident in their inconsistent performances.

DDCA secretary Ashok Kumar Sharma conceded that the team has failed to gel. “There was individual brilliance — Sanat (Sangwan) and Ayush (Doseja) have done well with the bat. But as a team, we are not doing well, which is a concern,” he told Times of India.

Coach Under Scrutiny

Coach Sarandeep Singh now faces mounting criticism from within the association. A senior DDCA official alleged that Sarandeep “often talks more about his own playing days than focusing on match strategies,” questioning his leadership and tactical planning.

“Even last season, we failed to get the playing XI right and made timid calls at the toss,” the official said. “This time too, he got the players he wanted, but the results are nowhere to be seen.”

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), headed by former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya, recently met with the High Performance Group to assess the situation, but insiders described the meeting as “routine” with no concrete steps taken to address the crisis.

Infighting Returns to the DDCA

Long plagued by factionalism, the DDCA is again in turmoil. A recent selection meeting for the Under-23 and Ranji teams turned contentious when secretary Ashok Sharma objected to the presence of three DDCA directors, later writing to president Rohan Jaitley demanding more transparency in selections.

With selectors walking away mid-season, a coach under fire, and a team struggling for direction, Delhi cricket finds itself in yet another credibility crisis. Once a powerhouse that produced legends like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Ishant Sharma, Delhi now risks fading into irrelevance in India’s domestic cricket landscape unless urgent reforms are made.