HYDERABAD:After days of suspense, the Hyderabad team is finally ready to play cricket. Participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy uncertain due to turmoil in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), the team was cleared to travel on Tuesday afternoon, just a day before their first match against Madhya Pradesh in New Delhi.
Justice (retd) Anil R Dave, who is part of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running the HCA, told Express that the team picked by the senior selection committee headed by former international Noel David has been approved. The selection committee had run into controversy since it was nominated by a steering committee (VVS Laxman, Mohammad Azharuddin, Vidya Yadav, Rajani Venugopal), which is not the norm.
Justice Dave said the CoA has given the go-ahead because it did not want the cricketers to suffer. “We have cleared this team for the time being since the cricketers’ careers should not be affected by any issue,” said Dave, who is part of the CoA with Justice (retd) GV Seethapathy and BCCI representative Ratnakar Shetty.
The Hyderabad High Court had directed the committee on September 12 to take over the reigns of the state body marred by perpetual infighting. Interestingly, the squad was also announced on the same day.
The CoA’s decision has infused a sense of confidence in the cricketers who had been waiting with bated breath to rush to Delhi to play their first match of the season. They were scheduled to leave on Sunday, according to the original plan. Eventually, the team boarded an 8pm flight on Tuesday.
Asked whether the change in travel schedule would have any bearing on performance, considering that they will hit the field a few hours post landing, a player said, “I do not think this makes things hectic for us. The hotel is close to the airport and the ground is nearby. We have been practising every day. So we are prepared, making the best of what we have.”
It must be remembered that due to the warring factions in HCA, Hyderabad were not allowed to compete in an invitational tournament in Karnataka after two different teams were announced. The HCA’s own Moin-Ud-Dowlah Gold Cup could not be held due to shortage of funds. The team hasn’t played any competitive match this season. Dave added that the decision on selection of teams for the remainder of the season will be taken by the CoA later. In the absence of Ambati Rayudu, who is away at the Asia Cup, P Akshath Reddy has been named skipper. Rayudu will be the captain for the rest of the domestic season.
vijay hazare trophy
Elite Group A
Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Baroda, Punjab, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Goa, Railways, Maharashtra
Elite Group B
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Saurashtra, Andhra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradhesh, Odisha, Hyderabad
Elite Group C
Rajasthan, Assam, Tripura, Gujarat, Bengal, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Services
Plate
Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Sikkim, Nagaland
SOUTH TEAMS IN ACTION TODAY
At New Delhi: Kerala vs Andhra
At New Delhi: MP vs Hyderabad
At Vadodara: Manipur vs Puducherry
vishal@newindianexpress.com