In order to connect with domestic cricketers amid communication breakdown in Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) has turned to advertisement tickers on local TV channels.

As per a report published in The Indian Express, the association will use these tickers to update their first-class players about the pre-season training camp, starting in Jammu on Friday (August 30).

The decision to use advertisement tickers was taken at a meeting in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by J&K team mentor and veteran India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, administrator C K Prasad and JKCA CEO S A H Bukhari.

“There are two TV channels working in J&K at the moment… Gulistan and ETV. We thought of giving advertisements in newspapers but the problem is we don’t know whether they would reach people across Kashmir. So we thought TV advertisements would be the best medium to inform our players,” Bukhari told The Indian Express.

Pathan said the JKCA would give ample time for the cricketers to join the camp.

“There are many players from whom the association hasn’t heard since the last three weeks… The last time I spoke to Parvez (Rasool) was last week when he had come to Jammu. He had called me and said he had come for training in Jammu but then he left for Kashmir as there was no cricket activity. We haven’t reached him since. We thought about sending people to their places but later decided it was not feasible. So TV was the best medium for us,” he said.

Irfan Pathan also stated that the decision regarding trials will be taken once the team assembles.

“Let the players come first. We have no clarity on who will turn up after watching our advertisement on television. I’m hoping everyone joins. We might approach corporates or the BCCI to help the state have a selection trial game, maybe in some other state so that the boys can prepare for the domestic season starting next month,” he remarked.