Special Correspondent
True to its commitment to fearless journalism, Orange News9 continues to provide space for all sides to be heard. A recent Open Letter from an aggrieved parent to the retired High Court judge overseeing Hyderabad Cricket Association’s (HCA) day-to-day affairs under court supervision has triggered sharp debate. The parents’ letter had raised serious questions about the fairness and integrity of team selections, pointing to alleged manipulation by members of the truncated HCA apex council. Predictably, a former Ranji Trophy player — known for defending the current selectors — dismissed the concerns as “natural parental emotion.” He even quoted the Telugu saying “Kaaki ki kaaki pilla muddu” (a crow’s chick is always beautiful to its mother), provoking outrage among parents who saw the comment as both insensitive and insulting. Several parents have since responded, exposing how deep the malaise runs within Hyderabad cricket — from tainted officials to selective favouritism masked as “talent identification.” One parent, whose open letter sparked the exchange, has now issued this detailed rebuttal. – EDITOR
A Former Ranji Star’s Response to our report published today https://orangenews9.com/have-hyderabad-crickets-recent-wins-become-a-licence-for-misrule/
“Sir, parents will always have grievances because a team consists of a limited number of players — not all can be accommodated. So, it’s natural. But teaching a retired Court Judge and reminding him about his duties is going a little beyond a parent’s scope of scrutiny. Kaaki ki kaaki pilla muddu. Sir, we should, for once, step into the selectors’ shoes and understand the challenges and pressures they face from all sides. Except for the paragraph about the Judge, the rest of the open letter was thought-provoking and worth an unbiased review.”
A Parent’s Rebuttal: The Rot Runs Deep
A parent is a parent — whether it’s Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, a retired judge, or the father of a young cricketer in Hyderabad. Emotion is natural when hard work meets injustice. But what’s unfolding in Hyderabad cricket isn’t about parental bias — it’s about blatant manipulation, favouritism, and abuse of power.
Try telling a boy in his final U-23 year — dropped after scoring runs and winning matches — to “be patient.” Easy advice from those lounging comfortably in selectors’ chairs, or from their sympathizers who refuse to look beyond their friendships. While winning is important — and yes, Hyderabad has been winning — it’s equally about giving genuine performers a fair run instead of clinging to some mythical idea of “talent perception.”
No one would question the selection process if it were transparent and consistent. But why was a winning U-23 team suddenly dismantled? On what basis were wholesale changes made when even one-day probables weren’t held?
The truth, parents allege, lies in the unholy nexus between the Acting Secretary, a discredited cricket “broker” who operates under the guise of a private academy, and a couple of selectors handpicked for their pliability. This trio, they claim, has turned state team selection into a marketplace — where influence, personal loyalty, and “cut money” decide who wears the state cap.
Anatomy of Bias: Ten Selection Anomalies
A quick look at recent selections exposes the farce:
- Raghava Pattapu – Top scorer and man of the match in a winning encounter — dropped without explanation.
- Mohd Adnan – Match-winning wicket-taker — dropped.
- Ruthik Yadav – Never given a chance — dropped.
- Harshit Chowdhary – Retained despite not playing a single game.
- Abhishek Murugan – Makes a mysterious entry, replacing Ruthik Yadav.
- Aman – Keeps his place with only one meaningful score.
- Saket Datrak – Injured twice, no wickets this season — always in the squad.
- Pranav Suryadev – High strike rate, key innings — now on standby.
- Mayank Gupta – From captain to standby overnight.
- Dheeraj Goud – Chosen over better-performing wicketkeepers.
If this isn’t bias, what is?
The irony is glaring. The Supervisory Committee, headed by Justice Naveen Rao was meant to clean up HCA’s functioning. Yet, despite judicial oversight, the same tainted network continues to thrive. Selectors allegedly linked to certain academies — some operating as talent “agents” — are accused of pushing their own boys while deserving cricketers are left in despair.
The Acting Secretary, who should have been the custodian of transparency, is instead seen as the chief enabler — a man whose association with a known cricket “broker” has become an open secret. This dangerous combination has reduced the HCA into a closed cartel, operating under the convenient cover of “court supervision.”
So, who’s right and who’s wrong? The parent who demands fairness — or the ex-player who asks for “understanding”?
The answer lies in one word: accountability. Until Hyderabad cricket is freed from manipulation by vested interests and pseudo-selectors, no amount of “understanding” will fix the rot. The parents’ outrage isn’t over lost spots — it’s over lost integrity.
And Orange News9 will continue to be the forum where these uncomfortable truths are spoken — because silence, in the face of corruption, is complicity.
