Krishna Das. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

Guwahati, Nov. 16: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is in a spot over stitching together an under-17 team for the Vijay Merchant Trophy East Zone tourney.

The ACA has already fielded at least five under-17 probables in the under-19 team and has named seamer Krishna Das in the Ranji team.

With paceman Abu Naschim Ahmed on national duty in the Afro-Asia Cup in Visakhapatnam and all-rounder Swarupam Purkayastha down with an illness, the dearth of junior players has made itself more than evident at this juncture.

Sources said ACA selectors were compelled to name Krishna Das of Barpeta in the Ranji team ?because there was none fit and skilful enough to replace the seasoned Zaved Zaman who sustained an injury during an off-season England sojourn?. Many, however, felt Das should have been fielded in the under-22 ties to give him the necessary exposure and confidence.

In the absence of Mrigen Talukdar and Sujay Tarafdar, who left for their under-22 and under-19 ties, seamers from different coaching camps had to be used at the Ranji camp here during the past month.

The present dearth of players has proved that barring a few districts, others were still not up to the mark as far as producing quality players was concerned.

There are 19 probables training under coach Dhiraj Das for the under-17 team. This time, the ACA had organised zonal coaching camps involving all the districts, from where probables were selected for the central camps here.