Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin is really upset about the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s (HCA) decision to take his name off a stadium stand. He sees this move as a disgrace and is asking the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to step in.
Recently, the HCA was told to remove his name from the North Pavilion Stand after a petition was filed against him. This order came from HCA Ethics Officer Justice V Eswaraiah. The petition, submitted by Lord’s Cricket Club, claimed that while Azharuddin was president of the HCA, he acted in ways that benefited himself instead of being fair in his decisions. It pointed out some actions that went against the standards expected from a leader.
Azharuddin expressed his feelings, saying, It hurts me to say this, but I sometimes regret having played cricket. It’s sad to watch people who don’t understand the game take on leadership roles. It’s an embarrassment for the sport. He plans to take legal action over what he sees as an injustice and urges the BCCI to take action. He also mentioned that this isn’t just about him; there’s been a previous dispute with Sunrisers Hyderabad involving the association, which shows ongoing issues with management.
The HCA has been instructed to remove Azharuddin’s name from all IPL 2025 match tickets as well. This comes after a previous order to change the names on various facilities. This is a big deal because the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, where Azharuddin’s name used to be, is set to host several IPL matches, including important playoff games.
“It’s hard to believe what’s happening, and it’s painful for me personally. I wasn’t allowed to run for HCA elections just because I brought to light the corruption in the system. That made me a target,” he added.
The petition from Lord’s Cricket Club not only asks for his name to be removed, but they also want the stand renamed to the VVS Laxman Pavilion to honor Laxman’s contributions to Indian cricket. They’ve asked the Ombudsman to take further steps to make sure everything is handled fairly.