Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin stated on Tuesday that he will run for president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) for a second term.
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin said on Tuesday that he will run for president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) for a second term, promising to rid the governing body of deep-seated corruption. Azharuddin’s announcement of his candidature for a second term comes a day after the Supreme Court-appointed administrator of the HCA, Justice (retd) L Nageswara Rao, prohibited 57 clubs from contesting or voting in the HCA elections due to a conflict of interest. Elections are expected to take place next month.
The HCA has a reputation for being one of the most corrupt cricket associations in the country.
Azharuddin was appointed HCA president in 2019, but his term, which concluded with Rao’s appointment earlier this year, was marred by infighting within the HCA Apex Council and court disputes.
If re-elected, the former India captain has vowed to rid HCA of corruption.
“I will run in the election, which is scheduled for September 15.” I am overjoyed that this has happened (ban on clubs), as the scenario has been prevailing for the previous 14 years. The association was not permitted to operate (because to the club connection). The association will now vastly improve.
“I don’t run any clubs, either. I am permitted to run for office because I am an international player, Azharuddin told PTI.
The three ODI World Cup matches as well as the first two exhibition games have been given to the HCA.
Making HCA financially independent and less reliant on BCCI finance would be Azharuddin’s key area of concentration.
“Improving the facilities and the game is the main difficulty. We must be financially independent. The other organisations are very wealthy. Hyderabad is living paycheck to paycheck and is dependent on the BCCI, which has been gracious and supportive in every manner.
To be able to pay our staff, we must have our own resources. We only have one ground, so we need new grounds to compete with other associations.
“We spend thousands of rupees renting out stadiums for local league games, but occasionally those stadiums aren’t up to par. Cricket will become less professional when the facilities are poor. So, we must address that, the 60-year-old stated.
The corruption is not just pervasive at the administrative level; it is also deeply ingrained in concerns of selection.
