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After Arjuna Awardee GM calls out Indian chess calendar, AICF moves swiftly to find solution | Chess News

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After Arjuna Awardee GM calls out Indian chess calendar, AICF moves swiftly to find solution
All India Chess Federation (AICF) acts after Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta’s concerns

NEW DELHI: The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is working to ensure the senior National Chess Championship is held later this year after concerns were raised over the tournament’s initial scheduling for March 2027.TimesofIndia.com has learnt that AICF officials are in constant touch with stakeholders, including the host state association, to finalise dates in the November-December window.The senior National Championship was earlier scheduled for March 25 to April 4, 2027, in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, a move that would have meant no nationals in the 2026 calendar year.“The calendar was packed. It was very difficult to make room for the event. Yet, after discussing with the team, we have decided to host it in the November-December timeframe,” a senior AICF official told TimesofIndia.com.It is understood that a packed domestic and international calendar forced the federation to initially defer the senior National Championship, but the AICF is now doing everything possible to stage the event later this year.The development comes after five-time Commonwealth champion and Arjuna Awardee Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta raised concerns over the earlier schedule, saying it could adversely affect players.Speaking to TimesofIndia.com, another AICF official said the federation prioritised age-group National Championships so players can qualify for world championships without running into age-eligibility issues. The senior championship doesn’t have any age-related deadline, which is why it has been kept for later in the calendar.

GM Abhijeet Gupta calls out the calendar

Gupta had questioned the earlier plan on social media, pointing out that a March-April window could clash with school board examinations and create logistical challenges for young players.In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Gupta wrote, “India is producing world champions, but are we making it harder for the next generation to even compete? The 2026 National Championship is now scheduled for March 2027, meaning there will effectively be no National Championship in 2026.”In his post, Gupta laid out three major pain points for players. The late March-early April window clashes directly with crucial school board exams, forcing young prodigies to choose between academics and their chess careers; host venues in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities add longer, costlier, and trickier travel logistics for families; and overall, these barriers end up locking out the very talent the system should be nurturing.Concluding his appeal, the 36-year-old veteran Grandmaster had directly urged the AICF to rethink its scheduling and planning for the sake of India’s rising stars. Following those concerns, the federation has accelerated efforts to identify a suitable date before the end of the year.The last time India hosted a senior National Championship was back in October 2025, when Panneerselvam Iniyan edged out Goutham Krishna on tiebreaks to take home the title.

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5 players who are switching states ahead of India’s 2026-27 domestic season ft. Shashank Singh

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3 August 2026

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The annual pre-season transfer window in Indian domestic cricket allows players to switch state associations as outstation or guest recruits under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations.

State teams are permitted up to three guest players to strengthen their squads ahead of the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns. These transfers are driven by players seeking more game time, specialized roles, or leadership opportunities, while developing state teams aim to recruit veteran talents to bolster their squad depth.

The upcoming 2026-27 season features several notable moves, with prominent domestic regulars and IPL players shifting allegiances. Let’s take a look at five such moves.

#1 Shashank Singh

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Shashank Singh will turn up for Puducherry in the 2026-27 season after shifting base from Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) has already issued an NOC to the player.

Singh alleged that the state association didn’t support him while he was recovering from an injury that he suffered last season. He further claimed that the association questioned his commitment, saying that the batter only wanted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 27-year-old added that CSCS officials didn’t give him any clarity over why he was left out of the Chhattisgarh Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp.

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Singh has played 21 first-class games for Chhattisgarh over the last seven years. He has also represented the state in 31 List A and 42 T20s.

#2 Yash Dayal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Yash Dayal will represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season. He has already joined the team’s pre-season camp in Alur.

Dayal has not played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, after which he faced charges relating to sexual assault. The left-arm pacer was retained by Gorakhpur Lions for the upcoming UP T20 League. However, he didn’t feature in the 18-member squad the franchise announced following the auction.

The 28-year-old has represented Uttar Pradesh in 27 first-class, 23 List A, and 71 T20s, picking up 186 wickets across formats, including two five-wicket hauls.

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Dayal will look to start fresh for Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season and make his way back to the scheme of things.

#3 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Chhattisgarh is looking to build a strong squad for the upcoming domestic season. As a result, they have roped in Saurashtra‘s veteran left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

The 35-year-old spinner has been a stalwart in the domestic circuit, picking up 423 wickets in 100 first-class matches, including seven 10-wicket hauls and 26 five-fors. Jadeja also has 121 List A and 65 T20 wickets under his belt.

Jadeja is also a very handy batter in the lower order, accumulating almost 2900 runs across formats. He also has 10 fifties under his belt.

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Jadeja’s addition will certainly boost Chhattisgarh’s squad depth as they look to put in a spirited performance next season.

#4 Prasad Pawar

Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar has signed with Puducherry to play alongside Shashank Singh as a guest player in the upcoming domestic season.

Prasad has struggled for game time in the Mumbai squad, with Hardik Tamore playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. As a result, Prasad has decided to shift base to Puducherry in search of more playing time.

Prasad made his List A debut in 2021, while his first-class and T20 debuts came in 2023. Overall, he has represented Mumbai in 27 matches, scoring 591 runs, including one hundred and fifty each.

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#5 Jayant Yadav

An offspinner from Haryana, Jayant Yadav, has decided to join Chhattisgarh for the 2026-27 domestic season. He brings truckloads of experience along with him, having represented India in six Tests and two ODIs while picking up 17 wickets in total.

Yadav has 96 first-class, 74 List A, and 95 T20s under his belt, picking up 272, 68, and 61 wickets, respectively, including two 10-wicket hauls and 15 five-fors. He is also very handy with the bat in the lower order, scoring 4781 runs, including three hundreds and 22 fifties. The 36-year-old cricketer also has one Test hundred and fifty each to his name.

Chhattisgarh will rely heavily on the spin duo of Yadav and Jadeja to bring laurels for the team in the upcoming season.