JAIPUR: The sequence of events at Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Stadium on October 16, 2013 during India vs Australia ODI is a distant and a faded memory. Between then and now, countless matches have been recorded in India's ledger, but none played at the Jaipur stadium. Naturally, the excitement to have the international fixture, India vs New Zealand T20I, back after eight years is enormous. While fans are eagerly awaiting to witness the spectacle, Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) management is on its toes to ensure the arrangement is done to perfection.
When the state association was banned by the BCCI from 2014 to 2019, cricket's ecosystem got heavily dented with different factions attempting coups in a power struggle. Given the context, the right to host an international match has been truly earned by the RCA.
"I am very happy that cricket enthusiasts in Jaipur will get to see an international cricket match. It is a big occasion for the RCA as well. It was a struggle, but getting into the history won't be right at this joyous moment. Credit should go to RCA president Vaibhav Gehlot and his team who have stayed firm, not allowing the RCA setup to be destabilized. Their efforts are giving results and hopefully under the young leadership, cricket will reach new heights in the state," said former RCA president CP Joshi, who has been for over a decade a part of the state cricket association's most glorious and the most appalling incidents.
Shivcharan Mali, who was once RCA adhoc president and is now the secretary of the Karauli district cricket association, shares that in 2009 SMS Stadium was given an ODI to host, but later the hosting rights were withdrawn. "It was in that year itself that things started becoming turbulent. If there were benefits that Rajasthan enjoyed under Lalit Modi, it also had to pay a heavy price for having him here as the RCA president. After he lost the RCA elections in 2009, he ensured the ODI match was taken away from Jaipur. At that time he was the apex cricket body's vice-president and enjoyed certain powers," Mali said.
He added that the situation was so precarious that even Rajasthan was under threat of not playing in the domestic season that year. "But it is a very positive sign that things have finally changed for the better, and also, now there are people in the BCCI who are more flexible and accepting in their approach," the DCA secretary said.
The RCA was banned by the BCCI because of its association with Modi who was facing corruption charges, and the main condition for the ban to be revoked was that the state body had to disassociate itself from any cricket body that continues to maintain any relationship with Lalit Modi.
Back to 2021, a new beginning beckons!
