I sometimes regret having played cricket

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin broke silence on the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman and Ethics Officer Justice V Eswaraiah’s order to remove his name from one of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium’s stands. He expressed his disappointment over the decision, even suggesting that he at times regrets having played cricket.

Azharuddin’s name featured on the North Pavilion stand at the venue. The 62-year-old called the developments a ‘disgrace to the sport’ and stated that he plans to take legal action soon.

Speaking to IANS, Azharuddin said (via News18):

“It pains me deeply to say this, but I sometimes regret having played cricket. It’s heartbreaking to see individuals with little to no understanding of the game now in positions to teach and lead. It’s a complete disgrace to the sport.

“I am determined to pursue legal action against this injustice, and I urge the BCCI to intervene and take appropriate action. This issue isn’t isolated – Sunrisers Hyderabad also had a dispute with the association over passes, highlighting a pattern of mismanagement and conflict. What’s unfolding is beyond comprehension, and it hurts me on a personal level. I was not allowed to contest the HCA elections simply because I exposed the corruption within the system. That truth made me a target.”

It is worth mentioning that the Lord’s Cricket Club filed a petition on February 28. The complaint was over a conflict of interest as the stand was named after Azharuddin during his tenure as the HCA president. The petition also pushed to change the stand’s name to VVS Laxman Pavilion.

“A clear case of conflict of interest is made out” – HCA Ombudsman on the Mohammad Azharuddin stand controversy

The HCA Ombudsman and Ethics Officer, Justice V Eswaraiah, has also ordered the board to remove Mohammad Azharuddin’s name from the match tickets.

Pointing out the conflict of interest in the stand named after Azharuddin, Eswaraiah wrote in his statement (via Cricbuzz):

“The fact that there has been no ratification/modification of the decision by the General Body further strengthens the case against the Respondent No. 1 (Mohammad Azharuddin), as the Respondent No. 1 has exceeded his authority to benefit himself. In consequence of my findings, a clear case of conflict of interest is made out.”

The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad will host the IPL 2025 clash between SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday, April 23.

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Aditya writes news, features, listicles, and exclusive pieces at Sportskeeda as a cricket journalist. After completing his MBA in Sports Management from Symbiosis, he started his professional journey and has a total work experience of 4 years, which included a stint at Republic World. Impressively, he has also done exclusive on-site coverage of two T20 World Cups (2021, 2022), the 2023 ODI World Cup, and 5 editions of IPL, and boasts a total readership of close to 12 million at Sportskeeda. He has also played cricket professionally at the AIU Zonal level for Ahmedabad district.

Aditya admires Virat Kohli’s exemplary discipline, dedication, and hard work. Kohli’s ‘Shot of the Century’ against Haris Rauf is a moment that left a lasting impact on him, ultimately teaching him a valuable life lesson that self-belief will always bear fruit. His favorite teams are the Indian Cricket Team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Aditya believes in sourcing information only from trusted sources rather than any random social media posts on the story and being neutral and honest are his reporting strengths. When not writing, he enjoys playing snooker and pickleball with his friends, and he is also a self-proclaimed coffee aficionado.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer