Administrators leave Hyderabad cricket in a mess

The year 2022-23 could easily be classified amongst the worst ever performance of a Hyderabad team at the Ranji Trophy level.

Hyderabad: The year 2022-23 could easily be classified amongst the worst ever performance of a Hyderabad team at the Ranji Trophy level.

The Hyderabad cricket season for the Ranji Trophy team has just concluded.

At the end of every cricket season we would introspect on our performance and brain storm on the areas where we could have done better. The year 2022-23 could easily be classified amongst the worst ever performance of a Hyderabad team at the Ranji Trophy level.

Hyderabad Cricket Association to my knowledge has over a period of three to four decades been dominated by influential individuals who ran the administration more as their personal fiefdom basically for their own vested interest.

The actual decline in culture began when in the BCCI grants from media rights started flowing into the coffers of the State associations at which time it was envisaged that the resources would be directed towards creation of adequate infrastructure.

In our case, the massive structure of the cricket stadium was planned and executed. However, this also marked the entry of businessmen and contractors who with the help of personalities of international players made a consortium and began the siphoning of funds into their personal coffers.

The cricket stadium of international standard eventually became a vehicle of amassing wealth for gullible elements and in my opinion is today the graveyard of Hyderabad cricket that is symbolised by the results we have seen from the Hyderabad teams in the past ten years.

It was my dream that when I left Mumbai and came to Hyderabad to play cricket that other than being a member of the winning Ranji team on two occasions for Mumbai I would someday be a part of the Hyderabad team that wins the Ranji Trophy. I was successful as Hyderabad were the Ranji champions in the year 1987 and my contribution was sizeable in achieving the objective.

It was also my will to set up a cricket coaching academy that would produce some players who could contribute to the state and country and I almost began the process only to be thwarted by the wheels of administration.

Fortunately and eventually we did have the wisdom to set up an institution namely ‘The Hyderabad Cricket Academy of Excellence’ which on concept was a master stroke but as ‘old habits die hard’ the management was of a former player whose vested interest again overtook the concept and purpose for which it was created.

This Academy also has ended up as a vehicle to siphon out funds meant for development of the game to certain individuals.

Reverting to the subject of this year’s performance of Hyderabad cricket it is sad but true that there has been no or very little preparation of the team at the Hyderabad Cricket Academy of Excellence which should have actually been the platform to nurture our talent through the years.

There have been innumerable accusations in the cricketing circles and the media of corruption and partiality in selecting cricket teams to represent the State.

In conclusion I would venture to add that only a ‘Surgical Strike’ can rectify the current system.

By Vijay Mohan Raj
(Former Hyderabad and Mumbai Ranji Trophy player)