By MS Shanker

Hyderabad Cricket Association is yet again hit the media headlines ahead of the T-20 decider match between India and Australia. A chaotic situation that prevailed over the purchase of tickets at the Secunderabad Gymkhana grounds led the police to cane-charge, resulting in many receiving injuries and one 19-year-old girl, more grievously. She is now in an ICU in a private hospital and if one has to believe a video in which the wailing mother of the injured blames none other than the HCA officials, in particular none other than the association president and former Test skipper Mohd Azharuddin. She was seen alleging even the police were rude to her by asking; “who asked your daughter to come and buy the ticket in the crowd? Can’t she sit at home and watch the match?” To that, she is claiming that her daughter was a die-hard cricket fan and is it a crime to love the game.

Her statement justifies the sweeping statement of some in the past that in India cricket is like a religion.  

Though the city has not witnessed such heart-rendering schemes before an international event, there were allegations in the past of some ‘rogues’ within the association body indulging in selling tickets in black. That was when genuine ticket-holders failed to get the entry on match day to watch it and the media put out some negative stories against the association.

It is no secret that the cash-rich HCA is entangled in so many scams. Hyderabad, which was known for producing some of the Test stars like ML Jaisimha, Abid Ali, Abbas Ali Baig, Jayantilal, Krishnamurthy, and Govind to name a few who all could find a place in the Indian team that went on twin tours to West Indies and England in 1971, today its state of affairs is in bad shape. However, that legacy could be witnessed in the late seventies and early ‘80s, when the Players Panel took over the reins and ensure the Hyderabad Ranji team won two trophies – prestigious Ranji as well as Irani. Also seen Hyderabad saw producing of world-class spinners like MV Narasimha Rao, Shivlal Yadav, and Arshad Ayub, during that time donning Indian colors.

Later after a long gap, with great difficulty, the Hyderabad cricketers could find berths in the Indian team like Mohd Azharuddin and VV Laxman, besides spinner Venkatapathi Raju and one series wonder Noel David.

After the exit of VVS Laxman, Hyderabad had no representation in the Indian team till the young speedster could a chance after a gap of close to a decade. 
Ironically, HCA administration abilities got deteriorated ever since Shivlal Yadav, a former Test star took over the reins first as Secretary. During his tenure, the Uppal Cricket stadium was constructed amidst allegations of embezzlement of funds. That ‘corruption’ charges continued even during another former test star took over and that was during Arshad Ayub. Added to that, some influential politicians getting into the cricketing body further eroded the image of Hyderabad cricket. Whether in picking up the juniors and senior teams or even the Ranji, the ‘rogue’ selectors in connivances with powers that be to fix ‘price tag’ to get done Hyderabad colors.  

And the BCCI appears justified in its reluctance to allot any international match to Hyderabad. The financial scandals not only brought down the image of the association but also caused irreparable damage to the game. The degradation of the Hyderabad Ranji team to the lower league stands as testimony to the amount of degradation that took over the years.
Another unconfirmed charge against Azharuddin is that this time around a major chunk of tickets he had given on a platter to his friends at the AIMIM party. 
That apart, another major chunk of tickets were also taken away by powerful members of the ruling party family. 

As usual, of the 38,000 capacity stadium tickets taken away by these politicos, the HCA management has to satisfy the Greater Hyderabad city police, which have three Commissionerates. In that chaotic situation, the HCA President reportedly asked the former cricket colleagues who might have played or still representing the state teams, to come and pick up their tickets. “How discourteous can be Azhar to us who also played the same level of cricket or maybe a little less as he was fortunate to have ‘God fathers’ in the game?” asks a senior former test star angrily on condition of anonymity.  

Added to the chaos, some politicians joining the chorus to blame the HCA President Azharuddin indeed added fuel to the power. Meanwhile, the state sports minister responding to the incidents that took place at the Secunderabad Gymkhana grounds threatening that his government will not hesitate to crack a whip against the association and even daring to take over by his government, however, mellowed down reasons best known to him. 

Had he pulled back because the CM or next in command in government K Taraka Ramarao asked not to precipitate matters that may tarnish the image of the historic city as well the state, that too when they are in election mode.   

Former MP and now BJP leader Konda Visveshwar Reddy too joined the controversy to blame none other than the HCA President Mohd Azharuddin. He demanded a probe as he suspects some deliberate foul play in ticket sales. To that quick rebuttal came from the former test star, asking him to shut up as the latter doesn’t know the game per se. Interestingly, another Congress MP now in BJP ranks, T Vivekananda, who served the association as its President in the past, over his stoic silence. Was it because his panel lost the polls badly in the last association elections?

Against that backdrop, how far the match is conducted is trouble-free amidst the disturbing environs even before the dust is settled; every cricket lover chose to keep their fingers crossed.

24.09.2022