Several international and national cricketers, including Chetan Sharma, Rahul Sanghvi, Pradeep Jain, Virender Sehwag, Amit Bhandari, Ravi Sehgal, Mithun Manhas, Rizwan Shamshad, Mohd Saif, Dinesh Tomar and Sandeep Dogra have appealed to the authorities to restore the ground, where hundreds of youngsters used to visit regularly for training, to its original position.

As recently as last December, the Vinoo Mankad Trophy (part of the National School Games Federaton event) tournament was held at the ground.

In fact, the Sports Department of the Delhi Government had sanctioned Rs 9.88 lakh for construction of players' dressing rooms, laying a turf wicket and raising galleries for the spectators. But with the shifting of the Directorate office to the ground, cricket facilities at the school have ceased to exist.

This Vikaspuri school ground used to fulfil the desires of hundreds of youngsters who used to throng the field to learn the game. Even several athletic meets of various schools in the locality used to be organised here.

With the Directorate occupying part of the ground, indications are that other wings of the government departments are likely to take over the rest of the area. And from all accounts, for the numerous athletes and aspiring cricketers it's a closed chapter. For, the Parents Teachers Association's meeting with the administrators recently have also not borne any fruit so far.