Mohinder Amarnath at NFR Stadium, Maligaon, on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Dec. 8: Legendary cricketer Mohinder Amarnath has urged the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) to prepare “good” pitches in the state’s stadiums for “producing quality cricketers”.

Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the Assam-Bengal Ranji Trophy match that concluded at the NF Railway Stadium in Maligaon here on Sunday, Amarnath said, “Players cannot be groomed on these kind of wickets (NF Railway Stadium pitch). If Assam is sincere about producing quality players, it needs to develop good wickets. I have observed that quite a good number of the state’s talented youngsters needs proper grooming.”

“Since the Indian cricket board is pumping in enough funds for infrastructure development, the state association should utilise it in developing wickets across the state,” the 1983 World Cup winning team member said.

Amarnath said Assam players “play very little cricket” in a year to be in form. “They need to play more matches, if not in the home state (because of weather constraints), in tournaments outside the state,” the veteran expert, who is assisting the Bengal team as a consultant, said.

Amarnath also had a voluntary counselling session with talented Assam youngsters Swarupam Purkayastha, Krishna Das and Kunal Saikia after the match where he pointed out their shortcomings and suggested remedies.

“He is a great source of inspiration. He has pointed out our shortcomings and prescribed remedies, which would help us in the long run,” Purkayastha, a promising allrounder of the state, remarked about the legendary cricketer.

On the selection of the Maligaon venue for the Ranji Trophy match, Amarnath said, “It is quite surprising to me that the Assam association is adopting a step-motherly attitude towards its own players. They hold all the international matches at the Nehru Stadium, which has a better wicket, while they are providing an under-prepared wicket to their own players against a stronger opponent.”

“It seems to me that it was their own ploy that backfired on them,” he said.

According to ACA sources, the wicket at Maligaon was prepared by the stadium’s groundsmen with guidance from BCCI’s East Zone curator Ratul Das, who could afford little time because of other engagements.

The association has maintained that the Maligaon ground was chosen as the venue for the match as the Nehru Stadium was engaged for the India-England ODI on November 29. The stadium thereafter was booked for the Bordoloi Trophy tournament since December 1. However, those in the know of things said the Maligaon wicket was preferred keeping in view the comparatively stronger spin attack in the Assam team.