A Forgotten Opener Speaks Out: Daniel Manohar’s Take on HCA’s Decline
MS Shanker
As the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) battles one of its worst-ever phases—with top office-bearers behind bars and public trust crumbling—those who once brought glory to the city are beginning to speak out. In this edition, I reached out to a cricketer who quietly built his reputation in the domestic arena and remains one of the most underrated all-rounders in the state’s cricketing history.
At 51, Daniel Manohar may not be a household name like VVS Laxman or Mohammad Azharuddin, but his contributions to Hyderabad cricket between 1997 and 2007 were anything but extraordinary.
Across 73 first-class matches, Manohar scored nearly 4000 runs at an average of 33, solid for any opening batsman in Indian conditions. Add to that 65 wickets with best figures of 4/48, and his credentials as a genuine all-rounder are beyond question. In 36 List A games, he amassed 1,267 runs and bagged 13 wickets, proving himself across formats.
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His journey began with a bang: a majestic 144 on debut against Karnataka, then boasting India’s deadliest bowling quartet—Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, and Sunil Joshi. “To others, they looked lethal. But to me, that day, it all seemed very ordinary. That knock told me I belonged,” Manohar recalled.
Despite a strong start and even making it to the India A side, national selection never came. His closest brush was in 2002, when a sponsorship tussle had top Indian players sitting out the Champions Trophy, and Manohar’s name figured among the probables for a second-string squad. “Every cricketer dreams of wearing the India cap. I came close, but it wasn’t to be,” he says, without bitterness.
He credits his longevity and consistency to the faith of teammates like VVS Laxman, Narender Pal Singh, and Nand Kishore. “VVS wasn’t just a friend—he was a guide. I learnt so much just watching him carry himself, on and off the field. As for Nand Kishore and me, we opened for Hyderabad for six or seven years without a single run-out between us—that was our understanding.”
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Manohar’s love for the game was inspired by his maternal uncles. At 10, he began shadow batting in front of the TV. By 17, he had cracked into Sporting XI, a B1-division club, scoring seven centuries in a single season, which earned him a berth in the Hyderabad U-19 side. The real transformation came in the club circuit—playing for EMCC and Syndicate Bank, he fine-tuned his game for Ranji-level competition.
But his rise wasn’t without struggles. “I had a forgettable U-19 season. But I didn’t give up. I let my bat speak and kept grinding.” That attitude defined his career—and now informs his take on how Hyderabad cricket is being mishandled today.
On the current state of affairs in Hyderabad cricket, Manohar is blunt: “Merit has taken a back seat.” He points to the now-infamous 21 all-out collapse in the Ranji Trophy opener, which led to the wholesale axing of players. “It was just one bad session. Dropping an entire team is unjust. Then they parachuted a bunch of U-19s—only to bench them in later seasons. That’s not team-building. That’s sabotage.”
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So, who’s to blame? Manohar was careful in his reaction. All he says is “obviously club secretaries, who are calling. “Shouldn’t they stick to administration and leave selection coaching to former cricketers. It’s an irony of sorts that today, people with zero cricketing background are deciding who plays and who doesn’t. That’s the root of the rot.”
Even former cricketers have to take the blame for the decline in the state. “Feel sorry for them to forget their roots,” he says and adds pain his tone; “Cricket gave us everything. If we can’t give back with honesty, we are part of the problem.”
On whether the HCA’s flawed electoral process contributes to the decline, Manohar is cautious but clear. “I was never involved in elections. But whoever comes in must prioritise cricket, not politics. It’s disturbing that real performance and potential are routinely ignored.”
So, what’s the way forward?
Manohar lays out a practical roadmap:
- Slash the number of teams in the 3-day league: “Too many weak teams dilute the quality. Fewer, stronger teams playing each other will sharpen skills.”
- Restore structured schedules: “Earlier, we began the 3-day league by June 2nd week, then One-Dayers, then Knockouts. Simple, effective, predictable.”
- Revive zonal tournaments: “Those helped identify talent from the grassroots.”
- Integrity in selection: “Appoint selectors who’ve played at the highest level and are above influence.”
- Implement Lodha Reforms: “The ‘One Club, One Vote’ rule must be strictly enforced.
Manohar is visibly shaken by the CID crackdown that saw the arrest of HCA’s President, Treasurer, CEO and club secretary. “It’s a sad day for cricket. Court cases, corruption charges—it’s all too much. How do you expect a parent to encourage their child to play cricket in this environment?”
“And where has this brought us? No Hyderabad player in the Duleep Trophy team. Almost no representation in IPL teams. Our best talents are leaving to play for other states. That should alarm everyone.”
Daniel Manohar may not shout from the rooftops, but his words echo the frustrations of hundreds of cricketers whose careers were stifled by the incompetence and corruption festering within the HCA. His message is simple yet urgent: cricket must be returned to cricketers.
It’s time to clean the house—not just of those who are coaches and selectors, but also every Hyderabad cricketer needs to take the responsibility to get back those glory days.
