FCI recruits young Ranji cricketers

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has recruited some young Ranji cricketers with an eye to the all-India PSU and the BCCI corporate trophies.

The cricket team of the state-run FCI this month recruited Rishi Dhawan, the Mumbai Indians all-rounder, who plays for India A and Delhi's medium-pacer Parvinder Awana, who recently made his India debut.

FCI have also picked up Uttar Pradesh Ranji batsman Umang Sharma and Punjab's Mayank Sidhana. Sharma scored an unbeaten 258 runs against Bengal in the under-25 C K Nayudu tournament last year.

"Rishi Dhawan has joined last week and the others will follow soon," said FCI Executive Director (Personnel) Devinder Kumar Bhalla, the president of the FCI's Headquarters Sports Promotion Committee.

Kolkata Knight Riders player and Himachal Pradesh Ranji captain Paras Dogra is the captain of the FCI team.

"We are looking at winning the All-India PSU Cricket Trophy and will play the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Corporate Trophy for the first time," said Bhalla.

The next All-India PSU cricket tournament will take place in September this year while the fight for the BCCI's Corporate Trophy happens in January 2014.