Sans Zeeshan, UP bowling against Bihar remains 'toothless'

Even in an inconsequential encounter, team management chose to rely on old guns

- Sharad Deep

LUCKNOW: Now it seems a certainty that team management is 'biased' against young leg spinner Zeeshan Ansari as his name did not figure in the Playing XI even in the inconsequential Group C league match against hosts Bihar in the Ranji Trophy at Patna on Thursday.

The Lucknow boy and former junior India World Cupper, who had the highest 24 wickets in the second edition of the UPT20 League last year, was drafted into the side officially for the first time in place of other leg spinner Vipraj Nigam, but a 'biased' team management didn't consider him for the match.

Though Uttar Pradesh managed to get Bihar out 248 in their first innings while fielding first winning the toss, the selection of Playing XI remained unimpressive as it was an occasion to give young legs a chance to showcase their skills at a bigger stage.

But the 'old thinkers' in the team management, especially coach and former India bowling all-rounder Sunil Joshi, chose to stick with their 'own trusted ones'.