'No big cricketer has come from Vadodara after Hardik Pandya': Darshan Banker says cricket level has deteriorated in 10 years, IPL is also less popular; A show of strength ahead of the BCA elections

The Royal Satyamev Jayate Group held a show of strength at Sayaji Vihar Club in Vadodara on Sunday night on February 1 in the run-up to the Baroda Cricket Association elections to be held on February 15. It was attended by a large number of leaders and BCA members, including Royal and Satyamev Jayate Group presidential candidate Darshan Banker, Royal Group leader and Maharaja Samarjit Singh Gaekwad of Vadodara, former BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, Anant Indulkar, Jatin Vakil. In their address, the candidates and members said that the level of cricket in Vadodara has deteriorated a lot in the last 10 years. No big cricketer has come from Vadodara after Hardik Pandya. Players cannot progress to the zonal or national teams. He also made allegations against the Revival Group. Our vision is to improve cricket and bring transparency: Darshan Banker ''Today was our first meeting with BCA members,'' said Darshan Banker, a candidate for the presidency of the Royal Satyamev Jayate Group. We have expressed our views on what we want to do at BCA and what is going wrong there so far. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the members even though the meeting was held on short notice. 'Vadodara's selection of players is decreasing in IPL as well' "We have mainly focused on three issues," he said. In the last 10 years, the level of cricket in Vadodara has deteriorated a lot. No big cricketer has come from Vadodara after Hardik Pandya. The selection of Vadodara players in the IPL is also decreasing. We haven't even played the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy for the last 14 years. Our aim is to bring transparency in the administration of cricket and involve former cricketers in the process. 'Stadium facilities and management need to be improved' They said that members have to stand in queues for hours to get tickets, which is not right in today's era. There is no proper seating arrangement in the stadium for the members. They are seated on plastic chairs, while non-members sit in boxes. We want to change this situation. There is also a need for improvement in the facilities and management of the stadium. There are many new faces in the fray this time: Maharaja Samarjit Singh Gaekwad Head of the Royal Satyamev Jayate Group and Maharaja of Vadodara, Samarjit Singh Gaekwad, said that BCA elections are being held once again. Elections are essential to maintain democracy in any association. This is the first election in which it has become a completely 'open election' after the Lodha Committee's recommendations were implemented. Many of the old office-bearers, including me, are no longer qualified to contest this election, so this time many new faces are in the fray and there is a lot of enthusiasm among the members. We as the 'Royal Satyamev Group' held a meeting today at Sayaji Club, which was attended by about 200 members. Our campaign is in full swing right now. 'Players can't progress to the zonal or national team' "Normally, these elections should be held in the month of September, but it has been kept on the day of Mahashivratri," he said. This is an administrative question worth pondering. Apart from this, many senior members want their family members to be nominated after them. There has been a lot of discussion on this issue as well. We are contesting elections keeping these three main issues in mind.