Argus News - Odisha Cricket’s Decline Raises Questions on OCA Leadership

Bhubaneswar, Feb 23: When will Odisha cricket’s fortunes change? That is the question echoing across the state’s cricketing circles as the senior team continues to struggle in domestic competitions and fails to produce international-level players for over two decades.

Despite sporadic flashes of promise, Odisha cricket has been on a downward spiral. Since reaching the Ranji Trophy semi-finals in 2001, the team has consistently underperformed. In the current season, Odisha finished seventh among eight teams in the Elite Group, while its performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and T20 tournaments have been equally disappointing.

The absence of Odia players in the national team and the IPL has further deepened concerns. Shiv Sundar Das was the last Odia cricketer to represent India in 2002. Since then, no player from the state has broken into the national squad. In the IPL, names like Subhranshu Senapati, Haladhar Das, and Biplab Samantray remain the last representatives, with no new talent emerging in recent years.

Questions are being raised about the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and its leadership. Critics allege that family dominance and internal politics have hampered progress. Former OCA council member Braja Nanda pointed out that while players like Debashish Mohanty, Sanjay Raul, and Shiv Sundar Das once brought pride to the state, the association has failed to nurture successors.

Ashirbad Behera, who served as Secretary of the Odisha Cricket Association for 16 years, stepped down in 2016. In 2019, he was arrested by the CBI for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore chit fund scam, which cast a shadow over the administration. His son, Sanjay Behera, now holds the post of Secretary, overseeing international matches at Barabati Stadium, infrastructure upgrades, and team development. The continuation of leadership within the same family has further fueled debates about accountability and whether politics has overshadowed cricket in Odisha.

Coaches and experts argue that despite spending heavily on hiring international coaches such as Venkatapathi Raju, Saba Karim, Balvinder Singh Sandhu, Wasim Jaffer, Michael Bevan, and Dinesh Mongia, the OCA has not delivered results. Cricket coach Kshirod Behera noted that accountability remains missing, with no one taking responsibility for the failures.

The situation is equally grim in age-group and women’s cricket. Teams in the under-23, under-19, and women’s categories have struggled to make an impact, raising questions about grassroots development.

With Odisha ranked 30th in the Ranji standings and no Odia player in the national or IPL squads for years, the debate intensifies: is politics overshadowing cricket in the state? As OCA member Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra’s pointed questions in the recent OCA general council meeting indicate, the association is under scrutiny, facing growing calls for reform and accountability