The u-23 team has done exceptionally well: TNCA secretary Bhagwandas

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) secretary U. Bhagwandas Rao on Wednesday hailed the State’s u-23 side for completing a rare double this season – maiden Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy title, and the BCCI men’s u-23 State-A Trophy.

“We are absolutely thrilled. It’s an extremely rare double. I think this team has done exceptionally well,” he said at the NPR College Cricket Ground here.

“If I want to summarise, Tamil Nadu has many shining stars (achievements). This is definitely one of them, and I’m sure we will see a lot of it in the coming years,” he added.

Praising the team’s campaign in the four-day competition, he said: “The way they have gone about conducting themselves all through the league phase and then taking it a couple of notches up for the knockouts is a really good learning. Kudos to the coaching staff, who set the team culture,” he said.

Bhagwandas said that structural changes are being planned in the Ranji Trophy preparation for the senior side. “We are going to revamp the whole structure – the design of the camps. The entire culture of the team has to see a fundamental change for the upcoming season,” he said.

He spoke about “optimising” camp schedules and placing greater emphasis on “match simulations.” He said that the TNCA also plans to “restructure the first division league,” moving it “from three-day to four-day matches” to align with the Ranji Trophy. He also revealed that it was being planned to hold games before the first Ranji phase at “neutral venues on seaming tracks to aid fast bowlers.”

He further added that the TNCA is considering hosting a shortened TNPL only at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai this season.