‘I fought relentlessly against HCA coterie’: Azharuddin responds to TNM’s story
Hours after TNM published a story about Mohammed Azharuddin’s controversial tenure as the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), the former India captain responded saying he gave his best to the association during his term. He also replied to our questions about the allegations of mismanagement and corruption levelled against the HCA. Azhar took over as HCA president in September 2019; though the committee’s tenure came to an end in September 2022, the committee continued as the elections weren’t held.
When TNM had reached out to Azharuddin for a response earlier, he said he was travelling. After the story was published, he shared his response through the questionnaire TNM had sent him.
1) Do you believe you have been able to give your best to the HCA after being made the president?
Yes, despite being handicapped by the absence of a full APEX council of like-minded members, I gave my best to HCA.
2) What do you think is your biggest contribution to the HCA?
I brought in international matches, fought relentlessly to restore order against the coterie which has hijacked HCA over the years.
3) Do you think you have been given a fair chance to deliver your best? Could you have done more if the entire committee cooperated better?
Yes. But for such cooperation, you need a committee that is like-minded. When the committee members themselves own clubs and mask their corrupt intentions under the garb of league matches to lease teams for lakhs of rupees, how can cricket get better?
4) There are allegations of corruption in the HCA peaking under your leadership. They say it has become pay-and-play in the HCA. What do you have to say about this?
These are politically motivated allegations.
5) Experts say absence of league matches has drastically affected the quality of cricket in Hyderabad. Why have the number of matches being played fallen drastically?
After I took over, I came to know that league teams are leased for lakhs of rupees in the guise of cricket, talent search & what not. When brokers can’t deal in profits by sucking the blood of aspiring players & their parents because I stopped the flow of money by not conducting the leagues, such allegations are made.
6) Allegations about selectors taking exorbitant bribes from players have been levelled. Experts have said you chose bigger teams this Ranji to accommodate more players despite the BCCI saying 15 players in a team. The team being shuffled every match has also been pointed as part of the same strategy to include more players. What is your response?
When players don’t perform, they have to be replaced. Players own performance & its consequences.
7) Many say a good cricketer doesn’t really mean a good administrator. Do you agree?
Not at all. The good administrators who led the association before me are neck deep in ACB (Anti Corruption Bureau) cases, have been accused of swindling crores of rupees, have manipulated memberships, purchased & sold clubs for crores of rupees & are crying hoarse today under the garb of cricket, only to shield their fraudulent deeds & thereby retain control of HCA & kill cricket. Private clubs, multiple clubs & what not. They want to remain the privileged few in Hyderabad that control the flow of money in cricket through their clubs. I am here as a cricketer, I don’t own any clubs.
8) Lastly, what according to you should be done to ensure the HCA is cleaned and cricket in Hyderabad sees a better future?
Review the memberships, remove all fraudsters & multiple clubs, put in a strong process to eliminate the role of money in leagues & selections.