CK Nayudu Trophy 2024: 5 Saurashtra players found carrying liquor in kits at airport

In a shocking turn of events, five Under-23 Saurashtra players were found in possession of liquor at the airport on their way back from Chandigarh after playing a Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy encounter.

After beating Chandigarh comprehensively, the Saurashtra team was returning home. During a routine customs check at Indigo’s cargo division, five of their players viz- Prasham Rajdev, Samarth Gajjar, Rakshit Mehta, Parshwaraj Rana, and Smitraj Jhalani were found carrying liquor with their kits. Precisely, 27 bottles of liquor and two cases of beer were concealed within the kits. The customs authorities promptly notified the Saurashtra Cricket Association about the players involved.

Secretary of Saurashtra Cricket Association, Himanshu Shah, expressed his ignominy after coming to know about the incident, which reportedly occurred on January 27, and he informed that the ethics committee will start an investigation into it.

"This alleged incident is unfortunate and intolerable. Ethics and disciplinary committee and the apex council will examine the incident in depth, and necessary disciplinary action will be taken," Shah was quoted as saying by the Republic World.

Gujarat is considered a dry state, some accused hold influence within Saurashtra Cricket

Gujarat is a dry state and people are not permitted to carry alcohol into the state. However, the state government issues permits for visitors who can buy alcohol from its dedicated outlets. According to reports, the families of two players among the five involved hold influential positions within the Association of Saurashtra Cricket (ASCA). Prasham Rajdev’s grandfather, Mahendra, popularly known as Manu Rajdev, serves as the pitch curator, while Smitraj Jhalani’s uncle, Mohansinh Jadeja, serves as team manager for the senior Saurashtra side in the Ranji Trophy.

There have been allegations suggesting that the senior players urged the junior members to bring in the alcohol stash for their own consumption. ASCA has landed in hot water after this incident as cricket enthusiasts are waiting to see how they respond to this appalling incident. The cricket board faces a delicate balance of maintaining family affiliations within the association while ensuring discipline and accountability among players. Decisive decisions are expected to be taken by the association in the coming days.