Services leaders urge access to State-based T20 leagues ahead of Ranji tie
Services skipper Rajat Paliwal and coach A.P. Singh called for opportunities for their players to participate in State-based T20 leagues in New Delhi on November 1, 2026, ahead of the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi. The appeal was made as Services prepared for the domestic fixture in the capital.
Services, a combined side representing the Indian Army, Navy and Airforce, is one of 38 teams in India’s domestic circuit and fields players each season despite its cricketers rarely receiving prominent attention. Paliwal, who has been involved in domestic cricket since 2011-12, said he wants his players to benefit from the expanding domestic environment and singled out participation in State T20 competitions as a pathway to greater exposure.
“We want greater exposure as players. We want that initiative to be taken. In the whole country, cricket has developed a lot. Other cricketers play through the year and prepare comprehensively,” Paliwal said ahead of the Ranji Trophy game against Delhi. “We are far away from that. As players for Services, we also want that. It will help improve the quality of preparation. We hope things change in the future.”
The 34-year-old Paliwal, who belongs to the Airforce, proposed a specific route for access, citing local affiliations that could allow Service personnel to join state competitions. “For example, the Airforce players are Delhi-based. So if the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) opens its T20 league for us to participate, there are 5-7 players who can add value and also get exposure,” he proposed.
Services do not field age-group sides, so selection to the senior team is determined by an internal competition among the three services held shortly before the domestic season. “We have an inter-Services tournament across all three formats a month or two prior to the start. Based on the best performances, the teams are picked,” said new coach A.P. Singh, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army.
The team made the appeal and outlined its selection process as it readied itself for the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi on November 1, 2026.
