Kiran Powar during training in Guwahati

Guwahati, Sept. 30: Assam top-order batsman Kiran Powar of Mumbai is planning to move out of his adopted state and don the Baroda colours this Ranji Trophy season.

Powar said he took the decision today, the last date for inter-state transfers, keeping in view the proximity of Baroda to Mumbai. The unemployed cricketer stays with his younger brother Romesh at Andheri in Mumbai.

?I am leaving Assam on a good note. I was facing a lot of problem travelling from Mumbai to play for Assam after five months every year in England. I can give more time to my family if I switch over to Baroda, which can be reached in five hours from my home,? Powar, who is cooling heels in the India A dressing room in Bangalore, said.

Powar booked a berth in the India A squad for the practice match against the India seniors by dint of his solid performance for Assam over the past two years and some backing from the Assam Cricket Association (ACA).

He has not taken the field against the seniors, though he said he was ?learning a lot? from the stint. How much he has learnt about the game by warming the bench only time will tell.

Admitting that he was ?very happy and proud? to be the first cricketer from Assam to make it to a national senior team, he said: ?I am grateful to the selectors.?

?After getting this break, I now want to put my career above all else. It?s challenging to book a berth even in the Ranji squad in Baroda, which will help me enhance my career,? the former national junior captain said.

However, several people in the cricket circle here rebuffed Powar?s explanation. They said BCCI selector Kiran More, who reportedly picked Powar for the India A team, has asked the top-order batsman to join Baroda, who will open their Ranji elite group B campaign against Assam here from November 7.

However, Powar begged to differ. ?My stint in Assam really boosted my career because from here I got the opportunity to play for East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy and Duleep Trophy tournaments. The ACA?s support was exemplary. Moreover, I most enjoy playing for Assam,? he said.

ACA secretary Bikash Baruah said the association would not object to his switching over to Baroda because of his personal convenience. ?His relatives recently rang me up pleading to relieve him so that he could be closer to them,? he added.

Both Powar and Baruah dismissed rumours that the ace cricketer, who captained Assam in at least one Ranji match last season, was leaving because of the delay and cuts in payment of match fees over the last two years.

He was one of the 38 probables called for the Assam Ranji trials, beginning October 7, under coach Dinesh Nanavati. Two other outstation players ? Vasant Sarvanan and R. Satish of Tamil Nadu ? are among the probables.

Asked if Assam has invited last year?s all-rounder skipper Sukhwinder Singh of Delhi to join the team, Baruah replied in the affirmative. ?But he is yet to respond,? he said.