The Delhi and District Cricket Association has faced questions over the eligibility of two proposed appointments as the association finalises its cricketing structure for the 2026–27 domestic season. DDCA joint secretary Amit Grover has formally raised reservations about the proposed appointments of Varun Sood and Manu Nayyar and has asked the Cricket Advisory Committee to examine the relevant rules and records before taking a final decision.
According to a report by The Times of India, Grover communicated his concerns through an email addressed to members of the Cricket Advisory Committee. The email was also copied to senior officials of the DDCA. Grover said he wanted his reservations to be formally placed on record before the selection and appointment process was concluded.
The central issue raised by Grover relates to whether the proposed appointments satisfy the eligibility and compliance requirements prescribed by the association. Rather than seeking an immediate conclusion, he urged the committee to examine the applicable rules and relevant records before finalising the appointments.
The development comes at a time when the DDCA is restructuring its coaching, selection and support staff arrangements for the upcoming domestic season. The association has published its list of selectors, coaches and support staff for the 2026–27 season on its official website. The broader appointments include several former Delhi and Indian cricketers in coaching and selection roles.
The DDCA has also announced significant changes at the senior men's level. Former India wicketkeeper batter Vijay Dahiya has been appointed head coach of the Delhi senior men's team, while former Delhi cricketer KP Bhaskar has been named chairperson of the senior men's selection committee. Rajkumar Sharma, who coached Virat Kohli during his early cricketing years, has been appointed state mentor for the men's programme.
The appointments are part of a wider effort to organise the Delhi cricket setup ahead of the 2026–27 domestic campaign. The Cricket Advisory Committee has played a role in making recommendations for various positions, after which the association has moved forward with the appointments and related announcements.
Varun Sood is not a new name within the DDCA system. An official DDCA order from November 2025 records that the Cricket Advisory Committee had recommended Sood for a position on the men's junior selection committee after considering eligible candidates from the existing applicant pool. The order stated that the recommendation was accepted and that the junior selection committee was subsequently reconstituted.
The latest reservations raised by Grover therefore concern the eligibility and compliance requirements applicable to the current proposed appointments. His email, as reported by The Times of India, specifically called on the Cricket Advisory Committee to review the prescribed criteria and relevant documentation before reaching a final decision.
The concerns do not by themselves establish that either proposed appointment violates any DDCA rule. At this stage, Grover has raised questions and requested verification of the applicable criteria. Any final determination regarding eligibility would depend on the association's rules, the records examined by the Cricket Advisory Committee and the decision taken by the competent DDCA authorities.
The issue also highlights the importance of clearly defined eligibility criteria in the appointment of selectors, coaches and support staff in domestic cricket. Such positions have a direct role in identifying players, preparing teams and managing the development structure across different age groups. Ensuring that candidates meet the prescribed requirements is therefore an administrative part of the appointment process.
The DDCA's official website currently carries the association's 2026–27 appointments announcement, reflecting the extensive changes being made across its cricketing programmes. The association oversees Delhi's domestic cricket structure, including senior and age-group teams and women's cricket programmes.
For now, the key development is Grover's formal request for the proposed appointments of Varun Sood and Manu Nayyar to be examined against the prescribed eligibility requirements. The Cricket Advisory Committee and DDCA authorities will determine how the concerns are addressed as the appointment process moves forward.
The matter could attract further attention if the association provides clarification on the eligibility criteria, the records reviewed or the status of the two appointments. Until such clarification is issued, the concerns raised by Grover remain a request for scrutiny rather than a finding that the proposed appointments are ineligible.
