Uttarakhand look to add experience to their squad

The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand have decided to include female professional players or 'guest players' from other states in their state sides from the 2020-21 season. Times of India reported that the decision was taken after the team's disappointing outings in the 2019-20 season.



Having been inducted into the fold by the BCCI in 2018-19, Uttarakhand was the only team in the Plate Group that did not include any players from other states. However, they managed to secure a promotion into the Elite Group for the one-day competition for the 2019-20 season, having topped the Plate Group.



That successful run though was short-lived, with the inexperienced side suffering heavy losses in 2019-20, that saw them relegated to the Plate Group for the upcoming season.



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While the state's men's team has seen the likes of Unmukt Chand, Rajat Bhatia, and Tanmay Srivastava don their jersey, the women's team has relied only on home-grown talent. However, many established female players from Uttarakhand - Ekta Bisht, Sneh Rana (both Railways), and Mansi Joshi (Haryana) among others - continue to ply their trade for other states.



It is understood that CAU members and coaching staff have begun shortlisting players from other states who they could approach. Women's CricZone has learnt that a couple of former internationals have received invitations from the association, but nothing has yet been confirmed.



There is still no clarity about the domestic season - when it will start and what it will look like - as the BCCI continues to wait for the situation in the country to settle down slightly.



Meanwhile, former India wicketkeeper-batter Anagha Deshpande was recently named head coach of the age-group sides, while Sanjay Kumar Pandey was appointed head coach of the senior team.