Jammu and Kashmir‘s player-cum-mentor Irfan Pathan said heis dealing with the most unique challenge of his long cricketing career as hetries to keep the state’s preparations for the upcoming domestic season ontrack amid a communication clampdown in the state.

The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has put outads on local TV channels to get in touch with their players from the valley whohave been incommunicado.Communication in Kashmir valley has been restricted bythe government after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370, whichgave the state special status. Jammu and Kashmir is now a Union Territory. “Thebiggest challenge for us is that we are not able to contact players in Kashmirand its districts. We are in touch with the Jammu players,” Pathan, who hasplayed 29 Tests and 120 ODIs for India, said on Wednesday.

The pacer said the current situation in Kashmir has undonethe massive gains made by the team in a fitness camp supervised by formerIndian team trainer Sudarshan VP in June. The domestic season gets underwaynext month with the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and with theJKCA unable to contact its players including big names like Parveez Rasool,Pathan, JKCA CEO Ashiq Ali Bukhari and administrator CK Prasad finally met onTuesday to come up with a solution.

“Bukhari is a former DIG. He came up with the idea that weshould advertise on television. There is a programme that comes every eveningand Kashmiris are communicating with their near and dear ones through that.

“So, we put the ad there hoping the selected boys can join thecamp in Jammu. We put it out yesterday and we can’t expect everyone to respondin one day. It will take at least two to three days. It is a very uniquesituation. I have never been involved in anything like this before,” said the34-year-old.

Pathan was appointed as player-cum-mentor in March 2018. Hefeels sad that the team is back to the drawing board after a successful fitnesscamp in Kashmir. “Preparation has been big hit time. In the training camp heldin June, we put a lot of emphasis on fitness as we felt that our biggestweakness was agility. The J and K players have the lungs, but they lack inagility, so I arranged a qualified trainer like Sudarshan to work the players.

“The players were supposed to peak by now, but it is allback to zero in the current scenario. Even if the situation becomes normal,there is no time for training, it is just about playing matches,” he saidreferring to the Vijay Hazare Trophy beginning next month.

It has been a life-changing stint for Pathan and he is gladthat he has been able to do his bit for the players in the region.

“So many players were about to leave the game but when someof them heard of me taking charge, they found new hope. There is massive talentin the region and I hope I can help as many as I can, during my time there,” headded.