Hyderabad Cricket Association Uppal Stadium gropes in darkness

However, there is still uncertainty over Hyderabad Cricket Association’s plans to resume the game in the city and districts or in their preparation for the new season.

Hyderabad: With BCCI president Sourav Ganguly giving a clear indication that the delayed domestic season will begin with Ranji Trophy tournament from January 1, the focus now shifts to the State associations on their preparedness. Some of the associations have begun in earnest. For instance, the Andhra Cricket Association has laid plans for a bio-secure bubble and even started a T20 tournament at Anantapur.

However, there is still uncertainty over Hyderabad Cricket Association’s plans to resume the game in the city and districts or in their preparation for the new season. Ever since Covid hit the country and sports activities were stalled, the game has come to a standstill. Even though the State government allowed resumption of training activities in a phased manner, the HCA has still not decided on their programme and start of the new local season.

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HCA president Mohammad Azharuddin had clearly said in June, they would not take any hasty step on restarting the game. “We have to be careful and follow the instructions of the BCCI and the State government,’’ he said then. In fact, ever since the State government lifted the curb there have been a lot of cricket activities in and around the city by cricket camps.

Efforts to get Azharuddin’s views on the latest developments failed. However, secretary R Vijayanand said they will shortly convene the Apex Council meeting and chart out the programme. “I have written a letter to our president and I’m waiting for his response. We will have the Apex Council meeting shortly to decide on the dates of the new local season. We will have a shortened three-day league game and a tournament for the juniors,’’ said Vijayanand.
With Covid-19 still prevalent, Vijayanand said that a bio-secure bubble will be their priority. “We will not be complacent in this issue. We will strictly follow the Standing Operating Procedures (SOP),’’ he said.

But the cold war between the Apex Council members and Azharuddin continues to dog the association. Ever since Azharuddin announced the appointment of Justice (retd) Deepak Verma, the former Supreme Court judge, as Ombudsman of HCA, in September the administration has come to a standstill. To add to the woes, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal has been without electricity since a month. With no power, there is no water supply and the stadium is groped in darkness.

There are reports that electricity dues were not paid and so the power was temporarily removed. But secretary Vijayanand has said it is because of repair work of the underneath cables. “The underneath cable wire to the transformer, which is near the Western Stands, has been damaged and new cable wires are being fixed. However, the recent rains have delayed the completion of the repair work. We have now decided to work from the Gymkhana grounds till the electricity is restored at the stadium,’’ said Vijayanand.

But what is worrying the club secretaries is the continuous infighting that could ruin the new season also. “The cricketers will suffer because of the uncertainty that is prevailing in the association. It is already a year, the present body has not followed the Lodha Committee reforms. Although Azharuddin says the Ombudsman has been appointed, the Apex Councils have vehemently opposed it saying that it has the approval of the General Body meeting. There is no sign of appointment of Ethics Officer, CEO and other officials. Nor is there any players association or the Cricket Advisory Committee? It is in a mess. There is also a confusion of the authorised signatories on the cheques and who are signing it now? ‘’ said a club secretary.

The Apex Council’s immediate priority would be to appoint new senior selection committee members as the R Swaroop-led panel was an ad-hoc one. Given Hyderabad’s disastrous last season, the HCA would have to overhaul the entire coaching staff.

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