Agam Rao
For a young boy or girl growing up in the towns and villages of Telangana with a dream to play cricket, one basic question inevitably arises: What pathway has the Hyderabad Cricket Association, the custodian of the game in the state, created to help them climb the ladder of the Sport?
Despite decades of passion for cricket bubbling in the dusty fields and narrow lanes of Telangana’s districts, and despite abundant raw talent that is crying out for recognition, young aspirants remain stranded. With no infrastructure, no structured coaching programs, and no regular exposure to competitive cricket, district players cannot match the skills, opportunities, or resources of their peers in Hyderabad city.
The situation is so bleak that not a single turf ground exists in Telangana’s districts where a proper cricket match can be staged. Those who wish to take the game seriously are forced to leave home, migrate to Hyderabad, and spend heavily at private academies — an option that is beyond the means of most rural families.
The result is visible in the numbers. In the last 50 years, fewer than ten players from all the districts combined — across both men’s and women’s categories — have represented HCA in any BCCI tournament. For a state with ten erstwhile districts and now 33 administrative districts, that figure is not just disappointing; it is shameful. Where Does the Money Go?
Every year, the BCCI allocates substantial funds for cricket development in each state. But when it comes to Telangana, the benefits never trickle down beyond Hyderabad. Less than 5% of these funds are spent on district cricket, even though nearly 70% of Telangana’s population lives outside Hyderabad.
What makes matters worse is that repeated resolutions at HCA’s Annual General Meetings — mandating that 25% of funds be earmarked exclusively for district infrastructure — have been brazenly ignored. This neglect is a direct violation of the bye-laws of both BCCI and HCA, as well as several directives from the BCCI and the courts over the years.
The imbalance is also in the governance of HCA affairs. District associations constitute barely 4% of HCA’s voting membership, while city clubs control a staggering 96%. To this day, not a single district representative has ever been elected to a seat on the Apex Council, the governing body of HCA.
The step–motherly treatment continues, despite repeated proposals and representations from the district associations, they are consistently denied even the most basic administrative support, coaching, and playing facilities. As a result, the heart of the HCA continues to beat solely within the confines of Hyderabad City.
HCA’s negligence is not for want of resources. Back in 2010 and 2011, the association purchased 5.5 acres of land in Nizamabad and 6 acres in Mahabubnagar. Fifteen years on, those lands remain barren and unused. It is only the current financial year that some effort has been made to prepare turf wickets at Mahabubnagar. Beyond these two plots, HCA does not own or lease a single ground in any other districts to promote cricket.
Contrast this with neighbouring states: Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and even the small union territory of Puducherry have all invested heavily in district-level infrastructure. They have built turf wickets, established academies, and created robust feeder systems that channel rural talent directly into state teams. Telangana, tragically, has nothing to show beyond the city limits of Hyderabad.
This imbalance cannot be allowed to continue if cricket in Telangana is to thrive. Urgent corrective measures are required.
- Develop Infrastructure: Purchase or lease land in every district to build basic facilities for academies, practice nets, turf wickets and play tournaments.
- Overhaul the League Structure: District teams must be integrated into HCA leagues. The current Hyderabad-only league format must be restructured to give rural players exposure to competitive cricket.
- Conduct Regular District-Level Leagues: Tournaments for men and women across age groups — Senior, U23, U19, U16, and U14 — must be held annually, both within districts and across districts. These should be completed before HCA leagues so that the best district talent can graduate to the state level.
- Establish Coaching Academies: HCA must set up its own academies in all district headquarters with qualified coaches, offering year-round camps for both boys and girls. Conduct the talent hunt and provide them with rigorous training at HCAE.
- Fair Representation in State Probables: At least 50% of players shortlisted for state probables should come from the districts. This is the only way to ensure balance and opportunity.
- Earmark Funds for District Cricket: The AGM resolution of 25% allocation for district cricket infrastructure must be enforced without any excuses.
- Grant District Affiliation: All 31 districts (excluding Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy) must be given full affiliation with voting rights to democratize HCA’s decision-making.
- State Representation: Teams representing HCA in BCCI and other tournaments must play under the name “Telangana team,” not merely “HCA team” or “Hyderabad team.”
Seventy-five years after independence, cricket in Telangana’s districts is still a non-starter. HCA has failed in its duty to nurture rural talent and create a level playing field. If it truly wishes to call itself the representative body of Telangana cricket, it must back its words with action, intent, and accountability.
The game cannot be allowed to remain the privilege of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts alone. It must belong equally to Karimnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam districts where thousands of children dream of one day donning the state and national colors.
Only then will Telangana cricket break free from decades of neglect and finally realize its full potential. (The author is President, Karimnagar District Cricket Association)
