From a distance, the group of Services players sitting in the Cafeteria outside the Harbaksh Stadium seemed like they were on a regular break from a practice session. The break, enforced by the BCCI in the form of a ban for skipping their Ranji Trophy match in Srinagar, however, will cost them a whole season. With it, their plans and aspirations have been put on hold for a year.

The tension was evident, as was the uncertainty on the faces, but there was every attempt to conceal it. The team had assembled for a training session early in the morning, but it was deferred to the afternoon because the wicket was too wet to play on. They had been asked to prepare for their next match against Andhra Pradesh, but the news of the ban reduced their plans to a farce. The media was greeted by a strict no-comment policy — no video footage was allowed, and no entry was granted inside the stadium to anyone other than the team’s support staff.

“We are here to play cricket. It wasn’t out decision not to play in Srinagar, but we have to pay for it. We never thought the repercussions will be so big,” a player, who did not wish to be named, said.

“What will we practice for when we’re not going to play a single match in the season? Can anybody focus at the nets knowing his team has been banned? It’s even worse for the debutants,” another senior player added.

... contd.