Sudip Gharami has been a well-known name in Bengal Cricket from the junior cricket circuit. He has been touted as one of the brightest futures of Bengal cricket. Sudip had made his first-class debut in the final match of 2019-20 season. Post that he has scored tons of runs in age-level cricket for Bengal. That is why he was included in the Bengal Ranji Squad from the start of this season. However, Sudip did not had the start he wanted in the first three matches of the this season. Despite that the team management has shown faith on him. Now, Sudip wants to repay the faith by scoring runs in the knock-out phase of the Ranji Trophy. The youngster shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
Although Sudip Gharami found it hard to score runs at the domestic level, he prepared himself for the second phase with some great knocks for East Bengal at the club level. Despite the momentum on his side, Sudip feels it will be a different game altogether. "I have been scoring runs in the white-ball format. The Ranji Trophy is altogether a different ball game. But, yes scoring runs helps you to be confident. So, it will be important for me to carry forward the momentum," Sudip said.
In his debut match, Sudip Gharami had the taste of a LIVE Telecast match. This time all the knock-out matches will be a LIVE-telecast match for Bengal. Hence, Sudip feels with the experience of playing in a LIVE match, he is now very much prepared to deal with the pressure of a knock-out match at the domestic level. "I was scoring runs before the final match last season. So, I did not feel any pressure going to that. match. But, somehow I got out after getting set. Now, I want to change that if I get the opportunity," Sudip added.
Bengal was the best team in the first phase of Ranji Trophy acquiring most points in the league phase. However, Sudip, individually did not had the start he wanted as an opener. But, now with the backing of all the seniors and team management, Sudip feels it is high time he repay the faith that everyone has shown on him. "I know the team has backed me in this tough time. I am very thankful for that. But, now I need to score runs to repay the faith. The seniors have been very much helpful to me," he added further.
While being with the team, Sudip has learnt a lot on how the players has been supportive to each other in the tough times. "It's been great to see how everyone has supported one another when the chips were down for us. They way the whole team management have given freedom to each and every player to express themselves is fantastic. I am learning every moment from this team," Gharami said.
"The focus is now not to repeat the mistake of the last season. We have shown our real character in the first phase with both bat and ball. We are confident to bring the trophy home this time."
Sudip Gharami
Sudip Gharami was feeling "not so great" mentally after the first phase of Ranji Trophy. But, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the former Bengal captain showed him the right path on how to keep everything positive and tougher mentally. Meanwhile, East Bengal coach, Pranob Nandy changed some of his techniques to get everything sorted for him.
"Laxmi da helped me a lot when I was mentally down. He told me that I was batting well but needed to be more focused and strong mentally. Then Tultul sir (Pranob Nandy) guided me with some of my techniques."
Gharami now wants forget everything of the past and focus on the knock-outs. Moreover, his aim is to win trophies for Bengal and get into the Indian team within next 3-4 years.
Outstation Players in Bengal Pro T20 League: Why It’s Unethical & Illegal
In the latest episode of "Cricket Talks Without Fancy Edits", uncover the controversy surrounding the Bengal Pro T20 League! In this video, we dive into why including outstation players as Bengal players is both unethical and illegal.
The Bengal Pro T20 League, a premier domestic cricket competition in West Bengal, is meant to be a stage for local talent to shine. Launched to nurture and showcase Bengal’s cricketers, the league has been a source of pride for the state’s cricket fans.
However, the recently concluded Season 2 draft has sparked a firestorm of controversy. Reports have surfaced that outstation players—those not originally from West Bengal—are being registered as Bengal players, allegedly through falsified documentation.
This practice has raised serious ethical and legal questions, with fans and critics alike accusing the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and franchise teams of undermining the spirit of the league. Today, we dive into why this is not just unfair but potentially illegal, and what it means for the future of Bengal cricket.
India U19 squad for England tour: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre and Bengal's Yudhajit Guha in the squad
IPL stars Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mahtre have been named in the India U19 squad for the upcoming England tour, along with Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha. Mahtre has been named the captain of the side.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India U19 (men's) squad for the upcoming England tour, scheduled from June 24 to July 23, 2025.
This tour will have a 50-over warm-up match, followed by a five-match Youth One-Day series andtwo Multi-Day matches against England U19.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has already made his name as the youngest ever centurion in IPL history at just 14 years of age, has been picked for the tour. Another IPL star, Ayush Mahtre, who has impressed with his striking abilities for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, has been made the captain of the squad.
Abhigyan Kundu will be Mahtre's deputy for the whole tour.
Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha has been named in the squad as well. Guha had earlier featured for the India U19 team in the U-19 Asia Cup as well.
Outsiders loved, Bengal talents ignored in Bengal Pro T20 League 2025
In the recently concluded Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 drafting, it was seen how players who are from other states were taken in franchise teams, depriving homegrown Bengal talents. Sportz Point explains the situation with examples and proof.
In recent years and decades, Bengal cricket has frequently witnessed the emergence of players from outside the region, who quickly become integral to Bengal's cricket scene. This trend was evident during the recently concluded draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.
It is important to clarify that we are not referring to outstation players, like Rohan Gavaskar and Arun Lal, who came to Bengal from other states and made it their home for cricket.
Instead, we are talking about cricketers from outside West Bengal who are arriving here and illegally obtaining Aadhaar cards and other documents with false addresses.
Fake addresses, corruption and outsiders in Bengal cricket
These players are rapidly rising through the ranks, some based on merit while others without any noteworthy performances, and they are moving on to represent the state at various levels. Furthermore, those who are advancing are bringing more players from their home states to Bengal and creating paths for them.
This situation points to a larger conspiracy involving club officials who are allegedly accepting bribes. Some of these officials are supposedly encouraging players to participate without payment in exchange for assisting them in gaining entry into Bengal under-age teams or even the Bengal Pro T20 League squads.
It's worth noting that platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League provide players with exposure to IPL scouts and teams, which can significantly boost their careers. Players like Sai Sudharasan, Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, Vipraj Nigam, and Ashwani Kumar have all emerged from their respective state T20 leagues.
Consequently, these outstation players have come to believe that if they cannot succeed in their own state, they can come to Bengal, create illegal documents, collaborate with certain club officials, and gain access to platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League.
This situation is depriving talented young cricketers from Bengal, who have been performing well at the club level, of opportunities.
In a recent video, presented in Bengali, Sportz Point addressed these issues, which was well received within the Bengal cricket community. We have translated this information into English to ensure the message reaches a wider audience across the nation.
Siddharth Patidar - supposed to play in both MPT20 League and Bengal Pro T20 League
One such instance is Siddharth Patidar, a player from Madhya Pradesh who has represented MP in the past and participated in the MP T20 League since 2022. He is now claimed to be a local player in Bengal.
Patidar is currently a member of the Jabalpur Royal Lions and will be playing under Saransh Jain in the tournament.
This Instagram post clearly suggest that Patidar will be playing in MP T20 League
How can a player local to the MP T20 League also be considered a local player in West Bengal? This suggests he was provided with illegal documentation to verify his status as a Bengal domestic player.
The MP T20 League is set to commence on June 12, and it will be interesting to see how Patidar competes in two different state leagues, claiming residency in both Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
Sandeep Tomar - played in UP T20 League, but has documents of West Bengal
Another player, Sandeep Tomar, known to be from Uttar Pradesh, also appears to possess Bengal documents in his name. Sandeep has previously participated in the UP T20 League as a local player, and last season, he played in the Bengal Pro T20 League as a local player.
This Instagram post by UP T20 League clearly shows Sandeep Tomar in action in that tournament in 2023.
This raises the implication that Sandeep, too, has illegally registered as a Bengal player with the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Not only these two players, but reports indicate that multiple athletes are arriving from various states and illegitimately registering as Bengal players with forged documents. Clearly, such actions cannot occur without the support of officials.
C.A.B.'s efforts to stop this
Recently, the Cricket Association of Bengal announced that from the next season, all players will be required to submit bank documents that are more than three years old, along with their parents' documents, before registering. However, the pressing question remains: If they can not even stop a daylight robbery, will they be able to stop outstation players' entry? Only time will tell.
As a result, many deserving players from Bengal, who have been topping charts in runs, wickets, and trophy wins, have been deprived of the opportunities they rightfully deserve.
Numerous players expressed feelings of frustration, sadness, and hopelessness after the events that unfolded during the draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League.
Bengal Pro T20 League 2025: 8 franchises choose squads among 802 players; here are the full squads
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
8 franchises, led by their retained players and coaches along with their owners, selected their squads for the upcoming season.
CAB Office bearers led by President Snehasish Ganguly, Vice President Amalendu Biswas, Secretary Naresh Ojha, Treasurer Prabir Chakrabarty, Joint Secretary Debabrata Das along with India cricket legend Sourav Ganguly, women’s cricket icon Jhulan Goswami were present for the draft.
"I hope you will all witness an exciting draft process in the next few hours. I am sure we will have an even more successful Bengal Pro T20 League season this time," Sourav Ganguly said during the event.
A+ category players will get INR 4,75,000, A grade players will get INR 3,75,000, while B and C category players will receive INR 1,50,000. D category players will get INR 1,50,000.
Exclusive: "Want to work with younger kids, find and create the next Sourav Ganguly," Abdul Monayem, after an illustrious 20-year club coaching career
After spending 20 years in club coaching, Abdul Monayem, Kolkata's one of the most successful club coaches, now wants to work with younger kids to find the next cricketing icon from West Bengal.
Abdul Monayem is a name that will go down in the history of Kolkata Club Cricket without any doubt. The former fast bowler joined Bhowanipur Club as a coach in 2009-10, when the team had just been promoted to the first division. Since then, he has helped them win three league titles along with multiple trophies.
Not only that, he helped East Bengal win the P.Sen trophy this season and qualify for the league final after nearly ten years.
Monayem retires from club coaching
Abdul Monayem with East Bengal chief Debabrata (Nitu) Sarkar. Image | Facebook
After spending 20 years in club cricket and emerging as one of the most successful club coaches, Abdul Monayem decided to retire from club coaching.
But why?
Monayem answered the reason, along with sharing his future goal, in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point, just one day after the announcement via a Facebook post.
"This is a very personal decision. Just woke up that morning and felt like I was not enjoying it anymore. So, decided to leave club coaching," Monayem answered when Sportz Point asked him about the reason for calling it a day at club level.
"Even after the last season for Bhowanipur, I was thinking about this. But two seasons back, Nitu (Debabrata) Sarkar invited me to take up the challenge to help the East Bengal cricket team become a winning side. So, I took up the challenge," he added.
Abdul Monayem won nearly every possible trophy for the Bhowanipur Cricket club, and when he joined East Bengal, the goal was to make them win trophies.
"When I joined East Bengal two seasons back, the team was already made. This season, I was able to make the team. We won the P.Sen trophy and will play the league final again. Very happy to get them back to winning ways," Monayem shared.
Will Monayem be there for East Bengal in the league final?
Abdul Monayem and East Bengal after winning the Kolkata Derby in league semis. Image | Facebook
Abdul Monayem will travel to France to attend his son's convocation and support him on this important day.
Along with players, coaches, and staff always miss the chance to be there for their families and with their son's one of the biggest days approaching, Monayem does not want to miss the chance to be there for him.
That is why he had already informed East Bengal that if they reach the final, he will not be there on the sidelines. East Bengal club also respected his decision and accepted the letter from Monayem.
"I will be visiting France for my son's convocation. My wife and I will both be there. I have missed a lot of things for cricket and coaching. I did not want to miss this."
So, I had sent a letter to East Bengal earlier that if we reach the final, I will not be there for the team. East Bengal also respected my decision and accepted the letter," Monayem shared.
Abdul Monayem with East Bengal team after winning the P. Sen trophy. Image | Facebook
Throughout his coaching career, Abdul Monayem not only won trophies for his club but also developed players who can contribute to Bengal cricket in the long run. He has helped several accomplished players return to the Bengal team.
Shib Shankar Paul, Saurasish Lahiri, and Arnab Nandi are just a few of the names who managed to return to the Bengal Ranji team after excelling under Monayem at Bhowanipur Club.
Players like Ravikant Singh, Sumit Mohanta, Sourav Paul, and Agniv Pan made their first-class debuts for Bengal after playing under Monayem.
"Before signing any player, I used to ask them if they only had a dream of playing the Ranji trophy for Bengal, then sign for my club," Monayem answered.
Monayem, who loves to read and write about cricket and coaching, follows the great P.K. Banerjee's style of coaching, where he tries to develop a one-on-one connection with players more than anything else.
As per Monayem, knowing the pulse of the players and then instilling faith in them is the main thing of coaching. If any coach can do that, they will win half the battle.
Since the beginning of Sportz Point, multiple Bengal cricketers have mentioned Abdul Monayem in their interviews, and more than winning any trophies, Monayem feels this is his biggest achievement in his coaching career.
"I did not become a coach to earn money. I did not do this for money," Abdul Monayem expressed.
"I became a coach to stay in touch with them. Chitrak Mitra, the former BCCI vice-president, gave me the responsibility at that time and told me that I was good enough to be a coach."
"Since then, my only goal has been to create valuable cricketers and give Bengal a few cricketing stars."
"I have only one regret from club cricket"
Despite all the success, Abdul Monayem has only one regret within himself. He wished to give Bengal cricket an iconic cricketer like Sourav Ganguly, but he feels he failed to do so.
Monayem, who gave Abishek Porel his first break in the first division cricket and told him that he bats like Brian Lara, believes Porel can be the next big star from Bengal. But, after all of these years, Monayem knows that to find and create the next Sourav Ganguly, he will have to go back to the roots and scout talent from the U-13 level.
Taking the reference of Mumbai cricket, Monayem said, "You saw how they have stands named after so many players. They keep on creating iconic players season after season. I believe in Bengal we can also do that, given we have the system and infrastructure."
This is why Monayem now wants to scout and find young talents for Bengal, only if the Cricket Association of Bengal finds him worthy enough for that role.
"I want to scout and work with young kids to find and make the next Sourav Ganguly"
Monayem with Rahul Prasad and other kids at A.S.O.S Image | Facebook
At A.S.O.S, Monayem trains 30 kids for free so that Bengal cricket's next generation is in safe hands. Players like Rahul Prasad have emerged from Monayem's A.S.O.S camps.
"If you want to have iconic players like Sourav Ganguly, who inspired multiple generations of Bengal cricketers, you will have to find them young and make them believe they can rule Indian cricket. I want to do that work for Bengal, if C.A.B. feels I am good enough for that job," Monayem stated.
Emphasising icons like Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami's roles in Bengal cricket, Monayem added, "Only if we can have global icons like them from Bengal, then only we will be able to secure Bengal cricket's future."
Abdul Monayem's club coaching career
High Court Club (2004-05 to 2005-06)
Marked the start of coaching career after a 20-year playing career.
Opportunity provided by Pankaj Mallick and Binay Mishra.
Coached under captain Rajiv Dutta (now an NCA Coach).
Key players: Sourav Sil, Bunty Gowala.
Focused on building a strong team dynamic, laying the foundation for coaching philosophy.
Mohun Bagan (2006-07 to 2007-08)
Joined through Dipankar Hazra and Anjan Mitra.
Seasons led by captains Palash Bhowmick, Utpal Chatterjee (2006-07), and Manoj Tiwary (2007-08).
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