Special Reports
MS Shanker When the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) conceived its Academy of Excellence, it was meant to be the cradle for future cricketing stars — a platform to identify, nurture, and promote young talent from across Telangana. Nearly two decades later, that dream lies in disrepair, betrayed by the very administrators entrusted to build it….
When I began writing this column, my purpose was never personal. It was — and remains — to highlight the persistent injustices faced by aspiring cricketers from the rural and semi-urban districts of our young Telangana state. Ten years have passed since Telangana was formed, yet our boys continue to be treated as outsiders on…
I’ve played this game long enough to know the fine line between victory and heartbreak. You can plan every session, every over, every angle — and still watch it all unravel in the final five overs. That’s exactly what’s happening with the Indian women’s team in this World Cup. The two defeats — first to…
Any individual can communicate in one way or the other. Even animals can communicate in their own way. The communication of animals will have less clarity than the communication of human beings. Listen, speak, read, and write are the four components of communication. The ability to convince the listener or reader can be considered a…
Special Correspondent If there’s anything more farcical than Hyderabad Cricket Association’s cricketing decline, it is the spectacle of its truncated apex council—a body that has become a byword for hypocrisy and legal absurdity. The same members who once petitioned the Telangana High Court accusing the previous HCA regime of “reckless spending” and “financial impropriety,” now…
Ashtami Tithi Begins: Today (October 13) at 9:15 am Ashtami Tithi Ends: October 14 at 7:10 am Tara Darshan Muhurat (fast breaking time): 6:45 PM to 7:15 PM (local time) Yogas: Ravi Yoga, Shiva Yoga, Paridhi Yoga Nakshatra: Punarvasu Nakshatra Purpose of the fast: To wish for the long life, happiness, prosperity and good health…
Special Correspondent With corruption in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) reaching its pinnacle, its truncated apex council—now headed by Acting President Sardar Daljit Singh and Acting Joint Secretary Basavaraju—finds itself in the dock once again. The charge this time: blatant manipulation and favoritism in the selection of Hyderabad’s Under-19 cricket team. A parent, A. Venkateshwar…
Fake Matches, Fixed Scoresheets, and Stadium Neglect In the previous part, we traced how Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) was reduced to a loot machine, bleeding money in the name of clothing bills, medical reimbursements, and phantom development. But the cancer did not stop with finances. The rot seeped into the very sanctity of the game…
Special Correspondent The mood among Hyderabad’s young cricketers is turning from hopeful to hopeless. Frustration, disappointment, and a growing sense of betrayal now dominate conversations across academies and clubs. Despite commendable performances in leagues and trials, dozens of deserving players have been left out — replaced by those with money, influence, or connections. Even more…
MS Shanker After two relentless exposés — “Who Ruined Hyderabad Cricket?” and “How to Revive Hyderabad Cricket?” — I have now reached a painful but inescapable conclusion: the real rot within the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) lies not only with its office-bearers, but deep within its affiliated clubs themselves. These clubs, over 200 in number,…
