Turmoil in Hyderabad over Mohammad Azharuddin attending BCCI SGM

Mohammad Azharuddin. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Some members of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) are not in favour of former India captain and the association's president Mohammad Azharuddin representing the HCA in today's BCCI Special General Body meeting. They prefer Shivlal Yadav, who has spent 17 years as an administrator in various capacities. Azhar, it is learnt, flew to New Delhi to speak to BCCI secretary Jay Shah as well as senior cabinet ministers about the turmoil in the HCA.

"I provided the BCCI top brass details of all our activities. I hope they will allow me to attend the [virtual] meeting," Azhar told mid-day on Friday.

Off-spinner Yadav, who played for India five years before Azhar did, remarked: "I was not too keen to come back into cricket administration. The [HCA] members invited me repeatedly and I finally agreed. I feel the need to save Hyderabad cricket first."

Meanwhile, Azhar is facing corruption-related allegations; accused of charging aspiring cricketers Rs 14 lakh each to play for various Hyderabad age group teams, through a person called Fahim. "From the time I became president of HCA, I have strived to run cricket in an honest and professional way. This is not liked by most of the members," said Azhar, who recently left an Apex Council meeting in a huff after being abused by some members.

His departure led to the members nominating Yadav to attend today's BCCI meeting. Azhar felt that his ex-India teammate is not eligible to attend simply because he has long ended his term as an administrator.

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