Special Correspondent
Hyderabad: It’s that time of the season again when the spotlight turns — not on the players, but on the selectors. And this time, it’s not admiration they’re attracting, but anger and disbelief.
Hyderabad’s senior and junior selections have once again exposed the rot — favouritism, political interference, and outright disregard for merit. If selectors continue to treat selection as a networking exercise, not a responsibility, the state’s cricketing future will remain in shambles.
The senior team’s recent debacle against Delhi is a classic example of how poor selection breeds poor results. The match, initially scheduled for a different venue, was inexplicably shifted to a private ground — not for cricketing merit, but for political appeasement.
The official excuse was that the wicket at the previous venue was a “turner”. Ironically, the selectors picked three fast bowlers. Even more absurdly, young Nishant — who opened the attack last season — was asked to bowl first change on and grinded to dust while Punniah, despite an age-fraud ban, walked straight into the XI. Word is that his selection had the blessings of a senior BCCI board member from Andhra. Would he have been in the team had Tanay Thyagarajan been fit? Unlikely.
And then there’s the curious case of Nitin Yadav — a promising left-arm spinner dropped without reason, allegedly to keep Tanay happy. Last season, Hyderabad fielded five bowlers; this time, just four — reportedly to make room for Rahul Singh, a consistent non-performer who stays in favour thanks to his proximity to the chief selector.
These aren’t isolated blunders — they’re patterns. Selection today seems driven not by performance, but by personal preference and political patronage. As leadership debates swirl, one wonders: Will Rahul Singh continue to hold his place? Will he also stay captain? Or will the in-form C.V. Milind finally be rewarded when Tilak Varma leaves for national duty?
If the senior selections are puzzling, the junior (U-23) picks are downright scandalous. There’s growing chatter that junior selectors are under external pressure — with names appearing in the squad that neither performed nor even played in the probables.
One player, reportedly related to a top state official, is said to have forced his way in through intimidation and complaint tactics. Another, Saket Datrak — a fast bowler with recurring injuries — was mysteriously picked and dropped within days, seemingly to make room for a “recommended” batsman.
And the wicketkeeper spot? A walking example of selective memory. Despite repeatedly failing to convert starts, he continues to be picked on the strength of one forgotten performance in an unrelated tournament.
With the next leg in Jaipur — where winter pitches will aid bowlers — the selectors have a rare chance to do the right thing. There’s a solid pool of performing pacers and spinners in the probables list who deserve selection on merit, not manipulation.
Will the case of Nitin Yadav be back in U23 and who will be replace ? Both left-arm spinners have performed — can one be dropped merely to please someone else? Will non performers in Probables as well as last match like Avanish, Vignesh, Chirag, and Mayank be given another run? What about Sachiet? The highest scorer and wickets in probables? Or will selectors continue to punish promise and reward proximity?
And one final question that refuses to fade: Why was Prudvi — the standout bowler in both senior and junior probables — given so few overs?
Selectors are not private brokers. They are custodians of the game’s integrity. When personal equations decide selections, it’s not just unfair — it’s destructive. The disastrous results speak for themselves.
It’s time the HCA — and the BCCI — step in and ask the hard questions:
Who is influencing these selections? Who benefits from these manipulations? And how long will merit be sacrificed at the altar of politics and personal gain?
Until there’s accountability, Hyderabad cricket will remain trapped in the same vicious cycle of failure — and the selectors will have no one but themselves to blame.
