The crisis in the Hyderabad Cricket Association is rapidly getting out of control. The latest charges against President Mohammed Azharuddin, that he reported as a mentor for the Northern Warriors Cricket Club in Abu Dhabi, put the former Indian captain on a tough wicket. It now seems very unlikely that Azhar and his rivals will be able to work out a compromise and work together to improve cricket in the state.
S. Venkateswaran, former secretary of the HCA, spoke about the dire situation siasat.com and said: ‘What is urgently needed is a savior who can defuse the crisis and bring order amidst the chaos witnessed daily in Hyderabad cricket. At present, the solution probably lies in the hands of the BCCI, which is the parent body. If any organization can put an end to the ongoing crisis, it is the BCCI. ‘
‘The BCCI, for example, holds the show in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. There are problems with them and BCCI takes care of the administration. The same can be done at least temporarily for Hyderabad, ”he added. “The details of what needs to be done are a matter for the BCCI to decide.”
‘It may be recalled that a few years ago, the Supreme Court and BCCI appointed Professor Ratnakar Shetty, general manager of the BCCI, and two retired judges to oversee the affairs of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. One Test match against Bangladesh was held under their supervision. Everything went smoothly.
‘Since the last few years there has been no development at ground level. The utilization of talent and the promotion of young people came to a standstill. This is very unfortunate. What encouragement will the young players get? Their morale will be destroyed if they see the officials fighting with each other on a daily basis, ‘Mr Venkateswaran lamented.
‘The BCCI is like a parent to all state associations. If a parent has to bring a stubborn child under control, the parent has to make some tough decisions. The BCCI must therefore make some wise decisions here and follow it up with a mix of hard and gentle movements that will improve the current situation. It needs careful and balanced decision-making, ”he says.
The position of Venkateswaran holds weight due to its vast experience as a competent administrator. Clearly, the BCCI needs to come forward to restore normalcy and take the game forward. It may be recalled that the faction run by Rajasthan Cricket Association was also caught up in disputes that got in the way of cricket matters a few years ago. The BCCI had to step in to restore order there.
Now Hyderabad is facing a similar situation. If the situation does not improve quickly, it could permanently damage the status of Hyderabad in Indian cricket. The denial of IPL matches is just the beginning. The ICC T20 World Cup is coming to India and again Hyderabad may be denied the right to hold a match due to infighting and divisions within the association.
If that happens, the cricket fans in Hyderabad could be deprived of the chance to coronavirus problem has disappeared. It is imperative that the mess in Hyderabad cricket is sorted out as early as possible, or that the consequences can be felt over the coming decades.
Abhijit Sen Gupta is an experienced journalist who writes on Sport and various other topics.
Source: The Siasat Daily