Mohd. Azharuddin to challenge HCA's stand name removal order

Former India skipper Mohammed Azharuddin is planning to approach the Telangana High Court, seeking a stay on Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman's order to remove his name from North Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Justice (Retd) V Eswaraiah, who is also HCA's ethics officer, made the decision on basis of a petition filed by Lords Cricket Club -- one of HCA's member units -- which alleged that Azharuddin misused his position as then HCA President by taking arbitrary decisions.

The petition alleged that the veteran of 99 Tests and 334 ODIs violated HCA rules by sitting in the Apex Council meeting as former HCA president to get the resolution passed on naming the North Stand after him in December 2019, barely a month after he became association chief.

According to HCA constitution, a resolution needs to be ratified by the General body.

"I will definitely take legal recourse and will be appealing to the High Court to stay this order. It is a shame that an India captain's name is being asked to be removed," Azharuddin told PTI.

The former India skipper also questioned the validity of Ombudsman's order, saying his tenure has already ended.

"As per by-laws of the association, the Ombudsman/Ethics Officer's tenure is for one year. In this case, the Ombudsman's tenure had ended on February 18, 2025 and any order passed after that period is null and void.

"He hasn't got extension, which can only be given during the AGM which hasn't happened. So how did he pass an order," the 62-year-old asked.

Azharuddin alleged that he is being targetted because a few HCA officials couldn't indulge in corrupt practices during his tenure as president.

He was elected HCA President in September 2019 and term ended in September 2023. During his controversial term Supreme Court appointed a one-man committee of Justice L Nageswara Rao to manage the affairs of the association in February 2023.

The opposition faction alleged that people related to Azharuddin were involved in selection scandals in age-group teams, a charge vehemently denied by the former cricketer, who scored more than 15,000 runs in international cricket.

"Crooks, who have never held a bat in their hands are pointing fingers at me. If they want to remove my name from the stand, the man who played 433 games for India, then you might as well take down Shivlal Yadav's (former India off-spinner) name as it was also done when he himself was the HCA president.

"You take down names of Abid Ali, Tiger Pataudi and ML Jaisimha. This is one association that doesn't respect players. And on whose petition, the Ombudsman is acting? The club (Lords Cricket Club) where there is no transparency as to who is the actual owner and who runs it," he said.

Another allegation was removal of VVS Laxman's name from the North Stand and putting his name on it.

"Am I fool to remove a legend like Laxman's name from the stand, the only man who has played 100 plus Tests from our region? In the North Stand, the pavilion is named after Laxman and it is still there, you can check," he clarified.

When an HCA official was approached as to why there are separate rules for Azharuddin and Shivlal, he replied: "In case of Shiv, he was instrumental in building this stadium and he got his name on the stands after due approval from HCA general body." "In case of Azhar, he never approached the General Body as he knew he didn't have the numbers to get it ratified." Azharuddin also launched a tirade against HCA president Jagan Mohan Rao.

"This is one association, which doesn't know how to respect its stars. Look at how Sunrisers Hyderabad were harassed for extra free tickets and BCCI had to intervene. Since I have raised questions about their manner of functioning, this has happened but I will not take these insults lying down," he warned.