Guwahati, Sept. 30: Assam will miss the experienced Dheeraj Jadhav when they meet formidable Karnataka in the lung opener of the Ranji Trophy group A campaign at Barsapara Cricket Stadium here tomorrow.

Admitting this, Assam coach Sanath Kumar today said, "We will definitely miss him as the captain. He has made tremendous contributions to Assam. He is experienced and though he was not getting much runs, he led the team very well last year."

"But, at the same time, we should subscribe to the fact that it is part and parcel of the game. When Sachin Tendulkar retired, everyone thought there would be no replacement for him. But Virat Kohli has stepped into his shoes. It is necessary that new players come up to take Dheeraj's place," he said.

Jadhav was shown the door by the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) after a six-year stint that saw him lead the team to qualify for the quarter-finals last year. That ensured a place for the team in the elite cluster of teams like Karnataka, Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan and Bengal this year.

Jadhav said his repeated pleas to the ACA to let him play for the side even on reduced professional contract money this year fell on deaf ears. The Pune professional is a guest player-cum-mentor with Goa at present.

About the top order hitch Assam faced in the last moment when Rishav Das ruled himself out with a thumb injury, Sanath said: "We have got Swarupam Purkayastha who has come up as a good opener in the recent exposure tour to Bangalore and Chennai."

"We often find ourselves in a fix because we don't have a strong bench. The bench can be strengthened only if league cricket is organised properly," he said.