Mohammad Azharuddin lashes out at the Hyderabad CA officials

Hyderabad: Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who was not allowed to contest for the president’s post in the Hyderabad Cricket Association elections earlier this year, came down heavily on the state cricket body’s Apex Council and alleged that it was functioning without a quorum.

Azhar also claimed that the officials were taking decisions as per their whims and showing favouritism when it came to selection of state teams.

“The present body is misleading everybody. They have announced that they have implemented the Lodha Committee reforms in toto but have not made any effort to implement many of the points. They should resign and fresh elections should be conducted,” Azhar demanded while speaking to mediapersons on Saturday.

Azhar also said the ‘so called’ Apex Council has no quorum and therefore all the decisions taken by it are illegal. “Even the Deputy Accountant General Avinash K. Niankar, who has been appointed as CAG representative on the Council has not attended a single meeting till now. As per rules his membership stands to be disqualified if he doesn’t attend more than two meetings,” he said.

He also pointed to the absence of representatives from the male and female cricket players associations, against the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. “There is no players’ representative, male or female, in the Apex Council so far. They have already held seven Apex Council meetings,” he said of the raw deal to players, adding, “Even in the so-called elections, no international players were given membership and voting rights.”

Azhar also found fault with the Senior Selection Committee and said, “As per Lodha Committee recommendations, only those who have played more than 25 first class matches can be appointed as selectors. On the HCA panel only Arvind Shetty qualifies,” he said.

Azhar also amplified the grumbling in cricket circles that performers in the top division league have been overlooked while selecting the two HCA teams for the upcoming Moin-ud Dowla tournament. Himalay Agarwal and Mohit Soni were among the names that were doing the rounds as promising players who have been ignored. “The players who have not performed have been selected (courtesy their proximity to powers that be) and those who have performed have been ignored,” he alleged.