Naushir Mehta’s Prescription to bring back the past glory
MS Shanker
In this continuing series on reviving Hyderabad cricket, we feature yet another stalwart — a man of both pedigree and performance, whose insights deserve serious consideration by those steering the ship of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
Naushir Mehta — or Noshir Mehta as he is also known — is a name etched in Hyderabad’s cricketing lore. A contemporary of India’s legendary spin quartet — Prasanna, Bedi, Chandrasekhar, and Venkataraghavan — Mehta held his own with the ball, often in tandem with flamboyant left-arm spinner Mumtaz Hussain. A right-arm off-spinner who started out as a fast bowler, Mehta played first-class cricket for Hyderabad from 1967 to 1977, and later represented South Zone, Hyderabad XI, and Andhra Chief Minister’s XI.
His stats speak volumes. In the 1970–71 Ranji season, Mehta bagged 29 wickets at an astonishing average of 13.55. The following year, he scalped 34 wickets at 16.55 — including four five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket match performance — a record that still stands tall. In a high-profile match for Rest of India against an Indian XI, he dismissed three Indian internationals: Ajit Wadekar, Ashok Mankad, and Syed Abid Ali.
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Yet, despite the accolades, Mehta’s career wasn’t without hurdles. And sometimes, those hurdles came from within. “My own father, Sorabji Mehta — who played for Hyderabad and was later the HCA chairman — was my harshest critic,” he recalls. “He once scolded me for being disrespectful to my captain, who was already a big name by then. He told me bluntly, ‘You’re nothing before your skipper. Go and apologise.’ I did just that.” That humility, he says, shaped his approach to cricket and life.
Even after his first-class days ended in 1976, Mehta never stepped away from the game. He continued playing league cricket and completed 50 years of active cricket in 2014. He later served as a spin coach at the HCA Academy of Excellence and even made a brief appearance in the 2005 cricket film Iqbal.
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When asked what ails Hyderabad cricket today and how it can be fixed, Mehta doesn’t mince words. “The association should be run by former cricketers of high integrity. Unfortunately, even some of our colleagues let the game — and its supporters — down when they had a chance to clean things up.”
His roadmap to revival is simple yet precise:
- Streamline the Calendar: Regularise the league and tournament schedules. No more ad-hoc planning.
- Zonal Talent Identification: Divide Hyderabad into four zones — North, South, East, and West — with two senior cricketers in charge of each. Their job: scout grassroots talent and bring them into the system.
- District Representation: Address the long-standing grievance of talented district players being overlooked. Hold inter-district tournaments in Hyderabad — on quality pitches and with proper facilities — before the league season begins. Allow the winning teams to be included in the league structure and participate in major tournaments, including three-day matches. This not only offers them better exposure but also delivers on their demand for a fair opportunity. It gives selectors a chance to identify 18–20 promising youngsters who can be fast-tracked into state school or inter-college teams. Wherever possible, organise three-day games to help build match temperament.
- Reform the System: Clean up the flawed voting process that lets club secretaries call the shots. Identify and weed out individuals who control multiple clubs or proxy teams. “The ACB has filed a charge sheet, but there’s no movement. The courts must act. Prosecute the guilty to set an example. No one is above the law,” Mehta insists.
- Fix Selection, Fix Everything: “Selection is not rocket science,” Mehta says bluntly. “Appoint selectors with integrity — people who won’t compromise for a few chips. Do that, and half the rot is removed. But the reforms must be followed in letter and spirit.”
As Hyderabad cricket finds itself in a spiral of mediocrity, Mehta’s voice is not one of nostalgia alone, but of experience, accountability, and hope. Will anyone at HCA listen?
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