Vinay Rao
Hyderabad’s junior cricket system is staring at an abyss. The decline is neither accidental nor sudden—it is the predictable result of years of unchecked mismanagement, whimsical selections, and a culture of entitlement that has seeped deep into the structure. The question now is painfully straightforward: Will someone step in before the system collapses entirely? Or will authorities wait until Hyderabad’s once-proud talent pipeline dries up beyond recovery?
The indicators are flashing bright red across all age categories. The U23 team’s disastrous one-day campaign, the rapid deterioration of the U19 squad, and now the U16 team’s alarming slide signal a systemic failure. Ironically, this downward spiral began after Hyderabad’s Vinoo Mankad Trophy triumph—an achievement that should have strengthened accountability but instead seems to have fuelled arrogance, favouritism, and a reckless disregard for merit within the junior selection committees.
Rather than consolidating success with stability and predictable team-building, selectors have embarked on a spree of mindless experimentation. Winning combinations are being broken without reason. Consistent performers are being dropped without explanation. Team selection today appears to be driven less by form and performance, and more by influence, pressure, and hidden obligations.
At this critical juncture, many look toward Justice Naveen Rao Garu, the High Court–appointed overseer, as perhaps the only figure capable of instilling the transparency and discipline the system desperately needs. His intervention now could be the difference between revival and total collapse.
Cooch Behar Trophy: A Campaign in Free Fall
Hyderabad’s Cooch Behar Trophy campaign has gone from concerning to catastrophic. The first alarm bell rang during the scare against bottom-ranked Kerala—a match Hyderabad barely escaped. Instead of triggering reflection or course correction, the selectors brushed it aside.
Then came Punjab—and the humiliation was complete. In what felt like a fierce response to Hyderabad’s earlier Vinoo Mankad success, Punjab inflicted an innings defeat that exposed every structural flaw in the team.
Match Breakdown
Hyderabad 1st Innings – 246
Openers Ramakrishna and Wafi showed admirable resistance with gritty 70-plus scores. But Punjab’s Anmoljeet tore through the rest of the line-up with a devastating 7-wicket haul.
Punjab 1st Innings – 440
Sarthak produced a commanding century, while Sourish, Sagar, Aryan, and Arjun all crossed fifty.
For Hyderabad, only Wafi Kacchi shone with the ball, claiming 7 wickets in an otherwise bleak performance.
But the most baffling part wasn’t the batting collapse—it was the bizarre bowling allocation.
Thanmai Krishna, one of Hyderabad’s strongest performers earlier in the tournament, was limited to just 7 overs, while inconsistent and more expensive fast bowlers were rewarded with longer spells. This pattern is all too familiar—some players get endless opportunities regardless of performance, while others are sidelined for reasons no one can explain.
Hyderabad 2nd Innings – 156 all out
Alankrita Rapole fought a lone battle with a valiant fifty, but Anmoljeet (4 wickets) and Lakshay (5 wickets) delivered the final blow.
An innings defeat, a derailed campaign, and a mountain of unanswered questions.
Vijay Merchant Trophy: Brilliance Amid the Ruins
The Vijay Merchant Trophy match offered more of the same: exceptional individual performances overshadowed by collective instability.
Hyderabad 1st Innings – 301
Ram Charan’s magnificent 148 and Prince’s confident 73 laid a strong platform.
Neel’s 6-wicket spell for Maharashtra, however, kept Hyderabad in check.
Maharashtra 1st Innings – 447/8 declared
Eknath’s century and Prajwal’s superb 170 pushed Hyderabad onto the back foot.
Ram Charan, adding to his batting heroics, picked up 4 wickets—a testament to his all-round brilliance.
Hyderabad 2nd Innings – 184/7
Once again, it was Ram Charan who rescued Hyderabad from potential defeat with another fighting 64.
But these standout efforts only highlighted a stark reality: a few gifted individuals cannot carry an unstable, poorly managed system forever.
The Age-Group Time Bomb
Hyderabad’s reputation is also being dented by recurring controversies surrounding age fudging and alleged bone test manipulation. For a region once respected for producing disciplined, ethical cricketers, these allegations are deeply damaging.
Age-group cricket is the foundation of the entire state’s cricketing structure. When honesty at this level is compromised, the ripple effect harms every age division, every pathway, and ultimately every cricketer dreaming of playing at higher levels.
Integrity here is non-negotiable. Hyderabad cannot afford to be casual.
A Structure on the Brink — Time for Bold Action
Hyderabad junior cricket stands at a decisive inflection point. A system that once produced national-level talent is being corroded by arrogance, favoritism, and reckless decision-making. Success should have encouraged humility and stronger processes. Instead, it has bred chaos.
The selection process must return to merit and transparency. Teams require stability, not compulsive chopping and changing. Performances—not influence—must decide careers. And above all, accountability must return to the centre of Hyderabad’s cricketing ecosystem.
At this stage, Justice Naveen Rao Garu may be the only person capable of restoring order. The longer the wait, the deeper the cracks will grow.
Because soon, the question will no longer be:
“Can Hyderabad cricket recover?”
It will become:
“Why was this collapse allowed to happen in the first place?”
