The Lone Fighter: Chitti Sridhar’s Battle for Clean Cricket
MS Shanker
In the murky politics of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), where factions and power brokers rule the roost, few dare to stand alone. One such rare figure is Chitti Sridhar, secretary of Acrylic Cricket Club, and arguably one of the most vocal rebel administrators the HCA has seen in decades. He has fought lonely battles, won a few, and in his own telling, even lost the last election for Joint Secretary by just a single vote against Basavaraju of Ameerpet Cricket Club.
“I have been a victim of all and sundry ever since I started my club, purely out of passion for the game,” he says with quiet pride. That passion has made him both a troublemaker in the eyes of entrenched powers and a crusader for transparency to those who know the rot in Hyderabad cricket.
It is no secret that HCA elections have long been a tug-of-war between two camps—one led by Shivlal Yadav, the other by Arshad Ayub. Ironically, both once joined forces in the early 2000s to challenge the formidable secretary P.R. Mansingh, the celebrated manager of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team. Since the so-called “Players’ Panel” took control, Sridhar argues, the steady decline began: nepotism, “pay-to-play” practices, and corruption choked merit and reduced Hyderabad to a shadow of its cricketing past.
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Sridhar, true to his nature, did not keep quiet. He raised objections in meetings, opposed questionable decisions, and inevitably paid the price—arbitrary suspensions by those in power. Yet, every time, he went to court, fought back, and was reinstated. His persistence embarrassed those who tried to silence him.
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“I was a feeble voice against a powerful bloc. But my strength came from politics—I was inspired by N.T. Rama Rao’s fight when he launched the Telugu Desam Party. I never lobbied for posts. Coming from a weaker section, my nourishment was always fighting injustice and exposing financial irregularities,” he says.
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Sridhar later joined the BJP, but insists his political association stems from ideology, not opportunism. “My love for cricket is independent of politics. I fight wrongdoings because I enjoy the game and want to see it revived,” he stresses.
He does, however, admit to a cautious optimism today. “At least some good souls in the media—like you—have stirred the hornet’s nest. The recent arrests of the HCA President, Secretary, and Treasurer show that the clean-up has finally begun. The question is, how far will the CID take it? Will they take it to its logical conclusion, or will it fizzle out?”
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He argues that the probe must not stop at cosmetic arrests. “The ACB should reopen cases against more than 28 accused, ranging from stadium construction scams to BCCI fund misuse. Let there be no exceptions—not even for former Test stars. Only when investigators scrutinize the sudden multiplication of personal properties of office-bearers will a real ‘fear factor’ set in. That alone can deter future looters of the Association.”
On revival strategies, Sridhar’s prescriptions echo those of many reformers but come laced with urgency. He insists the HCA must:
- Rebuild the grassroots – Restart school, college, and zonal tournaments to unearth talent.
- Empower selectors and coaches – Appoint people of integrity as selectors, coaches, and Academy directors, and give them complete autonomy.
- Restrict administrators to administration – Apex council members should limit themselves to logistics and funds, not meddle in team selections.
“Unless selectors and coaches are insulated from political interference, merit will always lose to lobbying and money power. But once the guilty are prosecuted, the fear of accountability will ensure future councils behave,” he says firmly.
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Unlike most secretaries who thrive under patronage, Sridhar has carved his way into the apex council purely on merit and stubbornness. He points out that nearly a dozen powerful individuals control close to 80 clubs—giving them a decisive edge in the 200-vote elections. “People like me have to fight for every single vote, while these rogues walk in with 80 votes already in their pocket,” he remarks bluntly.
According to Sridhar, the High Court-appointed one-man committee under Justice Naveen Rao must act on the Justice Lodha ‘conflict of interest’ clause. Former Supreme Court judge L. Nageswara Rao, as ombudsman, had earlier suspended 57 dubious clubs. Sridhar believes at least 15–20 more secretaries should face the axe, as some control half a dozen clubs each.
“If that happens, half the clean-up will be done. With the remaining 130–140 genuine clubs, Hyderabad cricket can breathe again,” he opines.
The recent performance of the Hyderabad team in the Butchi Babu tournament at Chennai, he points out, is a case in point. With the apex council paralyzed by investigations, selectors quietly picked teams on merit. The result: a much-improved showing. “That is what happens when administrators don’t interfere,” he notes.
In the cesspool of HCA politics, Sridhar stands out as an anomaly. He is not perfect, nor does he claim to have all the answers. But unlike most, he has been consistent in challenging corruption, even at personal cost. He is among the very few club secretaries who have never been part of the cartel that monopolizes votes and power.
As Hyderabad cricket teeters between decay and renewal, voices like his may yet prove crucial. For revival is not just about new tournaments or selectors—it is about cleansing a system that has for decades rewarded manipulation over merit. If the clean-up gathers momentum, Sridhar’s lonely battles might one day be remembered as the spark that helped rescue Hyderabad cricket from itself.
