By Vinay Rao
The Hyderabad U19 team delivered another bright moment, beating Baroda in the Cooch Behar Trophy with standout performances from Thanmai (8 wkts), Rahul (8 wkts), Yashveer (85 & 3 wkts) and Sidharth (109). Credit to the team management for creating a conducive environment.
But the contrast elsewhere is stark. The Ranji team suffered a heavy 281-run defeat to J&K, and the U23 side slumped to its fifth straight loss, this time to Karnataka. The U23 campaign continues to be derailed by a selection roulette, where favoured players are accommodated regardless of performance. This demands a serious review of the junior selectors and their handling of senior-age players. The pattern is unmistakable: external influence and constant, needless changes are hurting Hyderabad cricket.
Even the Ranji team appears affected, with questionable reshuffles — including pushing an opener into the middle order.
It is time for a mid-season review and genuine accountability.
People often ask why the negatives are highlighted so often. The reason is simple: Hyderabad cricket has been buried under layers of mismanagement for so long that even genuine positives — like the recent Vinoo Mankad Trophy win — struggle to shine through. The intention isn’t to create noise or criticism for its own sake, but to ensure someone in real authority finally initiates reforms that cannot be quietly reversed.
Our special correspondent recently introduced the idea of “Talent Passports” — an accurate way to describe the invisible mechanisms determining who rises, who is stalled, and who simply disappears. Conversations with players, parents, and insiders point to five such passports that have shaped Hyderabad cricket for years.
The Five Passports
- The “Golden Passport” — Lifetime Residency in the Ranji Team
A select group of senior players enjoy near-permanent places in the Ranji squad. Entry is effortless; exit is almost impossible unless more powerful interests intervene. Even after years of underperformance — including the fall into the Plate Group — the same faces continue with little accountability. The last real overhaul happened only after the infamous “21 all out” collapse, which opened doors for youngsters like Hanuma Vihari, B. Sandeep, Parth Jhala, and Baseer. One of the selectors responsible for that clean-up is now part of the current committee. If change was possible then, why not now?
- The “Left-Arm Spin Passport” — A One-Dimensional Obsession
Across Ranji, U23, and age groups, one pattern has remained unchanged: only left-arm spinners have consistently been given long, uncontested runs. The result is a predictable spin attack with no tactical variety. Where are the off-spinners and leg-spinners needed for balance? Is Hyderabad truly short of talent — or short of opportunity?
- The “Power Passport” — Loyalty Over Capability
For years, many coaches and selectors retained their positions due to political loyalty, not cricketing merit. As voters in HCA elections, their influence far outweighs their contribution. While players face consequences for a single failure, coaches and selectors remain protected despite repeated complaints. Reports of last-minute playing-XI changes — made to favour certain individuals — continue to damage morale and trust.
- The “Rejection Passport” — Fitness Tests Without Science
Fitness tests in Hyderabad are neither standardised nor documented. There is:
• No protocol
• No transparency
• No video evidence
• No accountability
Some players are scrutinised harshly; others receive leniency. Careers have ended under vague labels like “failed fitness” without any proof. A system without structure is a system open to manipulation.
- The “Cartel Passport” — The A Division Gatekeepers
The core of Hyderabad cricket’s decay lies in the A Division cartel — a closed network of club secretaries controlling entry into the division that supplies most selections. Players from B and C Divisions are routinely ignored unless very young. Arbitrary promotions to A Division became so blatant that the High Court had to intervene. The retired judge appointed by the court uncovered issues so deep-rooted that his mandate had to be expanded — similar to the earlier Supreme Court–mandated Single-Man Committee.
If anyone can dismantle this cartel, it is Justice Naveen Rao Garu. Players and parents are waiting for the day merit is allowed to breathe again.
A Start Has Been Made — But Uniformity Must Be Real
The Justice Naveen Rao Committee deserves credit for introducing uniform tournaments across divisions. But uniformity is meaningless without synchronised scheduling.
For instance, the B Division T20 tournament hasn’t even begun, yet the Syed Mushtaq Ali probables camp has already started — eliminating dozens of deserving players without giving them a chance to perform.
For uniformity to have integrity:
• All divisions must start and finish simultaneously
• Probables camps must begin only after all tournaments conclude
• Selection must be based on performance, not scheduling luck
Without aligned scheduling, reforms remain cosmetic.
Reform Must Also Be Sensitive
Not all players can afford to “lose a year”. Age eligibility windows are narrow, opportunities are limited, and many players have immediate family pressures. A single delayed season can close the door permanently.
Reforms must ensure:
• Administrative delays do not cost players crucial years
• Age-group eligibility is protected
• Financially vulnerable players are not pushed out by inefficiency
Fairness must come with empathy.
A Note on Women’s Cricket
One area not covered in detail here is women’s cricket — not because it is less important, but because it requires a separate, careful, and sensitive examination by someone deeply familiar with its realities. What is widely acknowledged, even by those on the outside, is that women’s cricket in Hyderabad has survived far more on individual brilliance than institutional support. Many have risen despite systemic neglect, limited infrastructure, and administrative indifference. Their challenges deserve a dedicated and well-informed account, written with the nuance and responsibility the topic demands. Until such a truthful narrative is documented, the struggles and resilience of our women cricketers will remain largely invisible.
A Reset That Must Not Be Allowed to Fade
Hyderabad cricket is at a decisive crossroads. The five passports — Golden, Left-Arm Spin, Power, Rejection, Cartel — are symptoms of deeper structural rot. True revival requires transparency, professionalism, and a commitment to modern standards. After “21 all out,” Hyderabad reset itself because disaster forced it to. This time, change must come before the collapse.
Hyderabad cricket can move forward only when perception-driven advantages, hidden barriers, and systemic biases are removed — and every player receives a fair, stable, merit-based pathway. Many will be cynical, believing these are passing storms and that things will soon return to “business as usual” for the regulars.
It is now for Justice Naveen Rao Garu to ensure this moment becomes a genuine new dawn — and for the elected members to carry that change forward with responsibility, courage, and integrity.
