SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir opened their Santosh Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 3–0 victory over Ladakh, but the emphatic start on the field has been overshadowed by a widening controversy over the composition of the squad, triggering political reactions, protests in Jammu and an official inquiry into the selection process.
The JK side began their Group A campaign in the 79th Senior National Football Championship with goals from Aakif Javaid in the 14th minute, Adnan Ayub in the 27th, and Shakir Ahmad Sheikh in stoppage time, sealing a comfortable win at Mahilpur in Punjab. The performance has raised sporting optimism ahead of upcoming matches against Himachal Pradesh on December 17 and hosts Punjab on December 19.
However, the win came amid sustained allegations from Jammu that the Santosh Trophy squad lacks representation from the region. The issue has sparked resentment among former footballers, club officials and political leaders, who claim the selection process was biased and non-transparent.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday defended the team selection, asserting that players were chosen strictly on merit and performance, and not on regional or political considerations. Speaking to reporters in Jammu, he said there should be no place for politics in sports or education and urged people to respect selections based on hard work and ability. He cautioned that politicising the issue could demoralise players representing the Union Territory at the national level.
The controversy centres on claims that the final 20-member squad is dominated by players from the Kashmir region. Former footballers from Jammu said that out of 74 players from the region who participated in the trials, none made it to the final playing squad, a situation they described as unprecedented in the history of JK football. They also questioned the speed with which the final list was announced and the team flagged off for Punjab, alleging that the haste raised doubts about transparency.
The issue quickly took a political turn, with the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP demanding the resignation of Sports Minister Satish Sharma. BJP spokesperson Rajni Sethi alleged an “illegal and discriminatory” selection process and accused the National Conference government of repeatedly sidelining the youth of Jammu. She claimed that despite a larger pool of shortlisted players from Jammu, all were rejected in favour of Kashmir-based players.
The Congress also expressed concern, with its chief spokesperson questioning how a single player from Jammu could be selected despite a higher number of candidates from the region and calling for an immediate response from the government.
Rejecting the allegations, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council said the claims circulating in public were misleading and maintained that the selection was conducted strictly on merit. A senior council official said the process extended over more than one-and-a-half months and involved divisional-level trials in Jammu and Kashmir conducted simultaneously from November 15 to 17, followed by final selection by a panel comprising members from both regions. The official said eight players from Jammu were initially selected for the coaching camp and that intense competition this year was due to the availability of professional players in the absence of the I-League season.
The Sports Council also said that one Jammu-based player was included in the final list, with three others placed on standby, while some Jammu players playing outside the Union Territory did not attend the trials. The council reiterated that adequate playing time was given to all shortlisted players during trials and camps.
Amid mounting protests, Sports Minister Satish Sharma on Monday ordered a time-bound and impartial inquiry into the allegations. Taking cognisance of media reports, he said any violation of the merit-based selection policy would invite strict action and punitive measures.
The selected Santosh Trophy squad includes Nirdosh Sagotra, Furkhan Ahmed Dar, Shahid Nazir, Zubair Ahad Akhoon, Mohammad Sajid Dhot, Aakif Javaid, Basit Ahmed Bhat, Hyder Yousuf, Urfan Hamid, Shahmeer Tariq, Talib Nazir, Mohammad Inam, Shakir Ahmad Sheikh, Adnan Ayub, Sahil Khurshid, Asrar Rehbar, Waris Amin, Ahteeb Ahmed Dar, Ikhlaq Fayaz Bhat and Hayat Bashir, with Aditya Mahajan, Aryan Gupta and Rishab Dogra named as standby players.
As JK look to build on their opening Santosh Trophy win, the off-field controversy shows little sign of easing, with demands for transparency, accountability and regional balance continuing to dominate the discourse around the team’s campaign.
