Guwahati: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has moved the BCCI to work out a system for Railways to pick their employees-cum-players groomed by state cricket associations just ahead of or during different tournaments so that the states are not affected.

Taking exception to the Railways' "suddenly calling up performing players of different states at the eleventh hour or during tournaments to play for them", ACA secretary Pradip Buragohain on Friday said the ACA took into consideration suggestions from former players and placed the matter before BCCI secretary Amitabh Chaudhary during his visit to ACA early this week.

"Last year, we suffered after Railways barred their employees-cum-players Arup Das and Krishna Das from representing any state midway through the Ranji Trophy tournament. This time, we were grooming some of the NF Railway under-23 girls to play for Assam because they had performed in our state tournaments and Railways have now called up five of them for their trials. This is not the case with Assam only. Railways do it repeatedly in case of most of the states whom they fear to face as opponents in tournaments. They do not even field most of the players in any team in the ensuing seasons. Therefore, we have requested the BCCI to take necessary steps so that the states are saved from being left bereft at the last moment," Buragohain said.

NF Railway sports officer Rajesh Bora, however, said the ACA has painted a wrong picture of the situation. "It is the duty of the players to turn up for their employers. It is for this the players are facilitated with half day's duty so that they can practise throughout the year. In fact, the NF Railway girls in this particular case used to go through daily drills in our facilities, unlike the unplanned and unscientific fortnight-long camps organised by the ACA. Instead of complaining to the BCCI, it is the duty of the state cricket associations to secure clearance from the Railway Sports Promotion Board for players to play for them so that they do not find themselves in a problem when Railways call up their employees-cum-players in times of need," Bora said.

Buragohain also said Railways should compensate the state associations for grooming and training their employee players in case of players picked for Railways duty. "We invest on their pre-season preparations and Railways pick the ready players," he said. Buragohain also rubbished reported money-laundering allegations against him saying the instances of financial irregularities in the ACA pertained to the period before the incumbent governing body took over reins on June 12, 2016.