In a monumental decision, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has been ordered to remove former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin's name from the North Pavilion stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal. This also entails that tickets for matches in the future cannot have the name Azharuddin. The directive underscores a wide-ranging move to reset and remedy the recent controversies and administrative issues with the association.

Azharuddin, a one-time HCA president, has also been embroiled in disputes. In October 2023, he was barred from participating in HCA elections because it was discovered that he was still the president of the Deccan Blues Cricket Club, and he was in violation of HCA's regulations against holding dual authority positions within affiliated clubs and the HCA, or even one of the member associations. After the matter went to the Supreme Court looking for court relief, the court refused, and the matter closed off his prospects for an administrative position within HCA moving forward. 

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Azharuddin faced allegations of financial and administrative irregularities during his term as HCA president as well. In November 2023, he was granted anticipatory bail in a case where he was accused of inconsistencies in procurement regarding cricketing equipment and the stadium, exacting some suggested level of formal inquiry to embark on a season where attending HCA matches and using the playing surface whose procurement efficacy was called into question in the general public's attention. These controversies have led to mounting pressure on the association to distance itself from his legacy and take corrective steps toward transparency and governance.

A Shift in HCA’s Legacy and Accountability

The removal of Azharuddin’s name from one of the key pavilions at Uppal Stadium symbolizes a major shift in the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s stance. This is a significant departure from the HCA's original view of Azharuddin, who - after decades of being a celebrated Indian cricketer - will now be associated solely with past match-fixing allegations, as well as recent administrative scandals. By eliminating him from mention altogether now, it seems that the HCA is suggesting a new beginning, which is a likely step toward assuring ethical governance and a clearer notion of accountability.

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On one hand, the HCA's officials are going to receive some mixed responses to this from fans and former players; on the other hand, they are becoming aware of the importance of ethics in cricket governance. By following Azharuddin's removal with further steps cancelling earlier permissions to use his name, the HCA is not the only association in the country that should reassess which figures it reflects and associates with when its stakeholders and constituents want more transparency and trust.

Cricket is frequently regarded as a religion in India and is far more popular than any other sport, with fans eager to see their favourite players perform well. In the past, fans saw several players involved in issues that shook the cricket community and became global discussion points.

Cricket history has witnessed several incidents involving foreign and domestic players, shaking the sport and becoming a hot topic among millions of cricket fans. Indian cricketers have also been involved in various similar confrontations and scandals. On that point, let us look at the top five controversies in Indian cricket history.

The 2000 Match-fixing story

The match-fixing incident of 2000 shocked the whole cricketing community. The incident occurred during the South African team’s 2000 tour to India when Delhi police overheard a conversation between a bookmaker and Proteas captain Hansie Cronje while listening to criminal discussions. The theme of the talk was match-fixing.

Much to the amazement of the cricketing community, Delhi Police filed a case against Cronje, who later denied the claims. Later, the South African cricket authority established the King’s Commission to investigate, and prominent figures such as the then-Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Manoj Prabhakar, and famed all-rounder Ajay Jadeja were added to the match-fixing list. According to a dossier presented by the CBI, Mohammad Azharuddin also introduced former South African captain Hansie Cronje to a gang of bookmakers.

Greg Chappell vs Sourav Ganguly

Greg Chappell and Sourav Ganguly had the worst captain-coach conflict in Indian cricket history, and it was undoubtedly one of the worst in Indian cricket textbooks. It all began during India’s tour of Zimbabwe when Chappell urged that Ganguly be dismissed from the Indian test team. He also claimed that Ganguly is neither psychologically or physically prepared to head the Indian squad. Ganguly also criticised himself for recommending Greg Chappell as India’s coach.

Following the Zimbabwe trip, the leading selectors decided to remove Ganguly as captain, and he was eventually sacked from the ODI team as well. The decision to drop Ganguly from the Indian team did not go well with Indian supporters, who burned Chappell’s effigies and protested on the streets. His notorious tenure as Indian head coach ended when the Men in Blue were eliminated from the 2007 World Cup in the group round.

The Monkeygate Incident: Harbhajan Singh vs Andrew Symonds

The controversial clash between India’s reliable spinner, Harbhajan Singh and Australia’s top all-rounder, Andrew Symonds, a.k.a, the Monkeygate incident, occurred during India’s 2008 tour of Australia and is regarded as one of the most significant scandals in Indian cricket history.

The incident saw a confrontation between Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second match at Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia. It reached the point where the tourists chose to withdraw from the trip before the ICC constituted a disciplinary committee to investigate the situation. Next, the committee’s investigation, Harbhajan Singh’s three-match Test suspension was removed, and India won the next Test match.

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IPL & Spot-fixing

This controversy shocked millions of cricket fans in India after learning that the Indian Premier League 2013 season had been tarnished by spot-fixing and betting events. Two well-known IPL franchises, the Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals, were banned for two years in a row due to their involvement in the betting scam.

On the other hand, the Delhi Police detained three Rajasthan Royals players, S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan, for spot-fixing accusations in the IPL. The team’s owners, Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan, were arrested, and both CSK and RR franchises were suspended for two years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) closely checks the competition to ensure no such disputes arise.

Virat Kohli vs Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble’s dismissal as head coach of the Indian cricket team in 2017 remains one of the most contentious issues in Indian cricket. Following India’s defeat against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final, Kumble was sacked as the team’s head coach. Kumble was asked to resign after only one year as the team’s head coach.

At the time, various publications highlighted conflicts between Kohli and Kumble as the primary cause for his dismissal as head coach. The captain and head coach were apparently at odds, which resulted in the dramatic firing. According to reports, Kohli was contacted when the authorities decided to extend the coach’s employment, but he stated that Kumble’s tutoring made junior players feel “intimidated”.