After hosting India Proteas last test series matches, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium is once again going to witness cricketing extravaganza as the State capital is going to host Deodhar trophy matches.
The tournament which will kick start on October 31 will continue till November 4 and will comprise India A, India B and India C. The top teams of the first round will battle in the finale on November 4. The Deodhar Trophy is one of the most prominent cricket competitions in India, named after the Grand Old Man of Indian Cricket, Prof D.B. Deodhar. India C are the defending champions of Deodhar Trophy having won the previous edition by defeating India B in the final.
The three teams India A, India B and India C are lead by Hanuma Vihari, Parthiv Patel and Shubman Gill as captains. Apart from these, the tournaments will also participation of experienced cricketers including Dinesh Karthik, Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kedar Jadhav among others.
The Deodhar trophy in JSCA stadium is going to bring Ranchi in stronger position in cricketing map, but in the last India South Africa test matches the stadium witness poor spectators’ response.
Against the 39000 people capacity, only 1500 tickets were sold for the third India-South Africa on Saturday on the day match test series started. The association kept the ticket prices affordable — Rs 250 per day is the lowest. They also opened five counters at the JSCA Stadium, but, there were few takers.
In the third and final of three match test series, India won the third match by 202 runs and an innings. Sources said that as India had already won the test series by winning two matches, the third test series was just a formality.
The 39,000 capacity JSCA stadium hosted its second Test match. The first test match was held from 16-20 March, 2017 between India and Australia which ended in a draw. The stadium has also hosted five One Day and two T20 internationals.
The match also assumes importance as matches was played after JSCA getting a new elected body. Taking lesson from less enthusiasm from test series, the JSCA has decided not to issue any ticket in the five day matches.
JSCA executive member Sanjay Pandey said, “Out of five matches two matches will be day and night. Also to promote domestic cricket, we have decided not to issue any ticket in Deodhar trophy.” He further said, “Any cricket enthusiast can enter the stadium for watching the game.”
The JSCA executive member also ruled out that there was less spectators at stadium during India South Africa test matches in Ranchi. He said on all four days there was more than 15000 cricket enthusiast as many cricket passes were issued to Army and CRPF personnel, members of different cricket associations and college/ school students.