This week, we momentarily step away from our ongoing “How to Revive Hyderabad Cricket” series to focus on an equally urgent question: why does the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still refuse recognition to the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA), despite its credibility, reforms, and grassroots impact—while continuing to prop up a dysfunctional Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) drowning in scandals? – EDITOR
MS Shanker
For the past decade and a half, the TCA has been working with quiet determination across all 33 districts of Telangana, building opportunities for cricketers long ignored by the city-centric HCA. The contrast between the two could not be starker: one marred by corruption, jail terms, and opaque finances, the other striving to democratise cricket with transparency and merit. Yet, the BCCI’s doors remain shut to the deserving contender.
The story of the TCA begins with personal disappointment but is transformed into a collective purpose. Its founder-secretary, Dharam Guruva Reddy, was himself a victim of the HCA’s murky “pay-to-play” culture. Denied opportunities unless he greased palms, he chose academics instead, pursued higher studies in the United States, and returned with a bigger dream: to ensure no other youngster from Telangana would have his passion for cricket cut short by corruption. Well before Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, he laid the foundations for the TCA—an association that pledged to make cricket belong to cricketers, not profiteers.
Since 1961, Telangana’s nearly four crore people have been denied fair representation in Indian cricket. For 65 years, HCA’s control has been confined largely to Hyderabad city, leaving rural and district talent out in the cold.
The facts today are glaring:
- HCA is a sinking ship. Its elected President, Secretary, and Treasurer have all landed in jail on charges of siphoning funds. Though currently out on bail, the investigations by the CID, ACB, and Vigilance continue. The state High Court is even considering directing the CBI and Enforcement Directorate to step in and recover decades of looted money.
- Telangana cricket cannot remain hostage. The game has been captured by politicians, ex-cricketers with conflicts of interest, and power brokers. Selections are tainted by bribery, coaches are never appointed on time, and leagues are delayed indefinitely. Young players’ careers are being wrecked not by lack of talent, but by lack of integrity in administration. Ironically, many former cricketers who once wore the India cap turned into administrators and joined the looting spree, milking the “cash cow” the moment funds started flowing from the world’s richest cricketing body, the BCCI. One cannot forget the days when the BCCI itself was so poor it couldn’t even afford to felicitate the 1983 Prudential World Cup–winning Indian team.
- TCA is the credible alternative. Unlike the HCA, the Telangana Cricket Association has fully embraced the Justice Lodha reforms. Its constitution ensures transparency, accountability, and a level playing field for players across the state.
What the TCA Has Already Proved
Despite operating without official BCCI recognition, the TCA has achieved milestones that demonstrate both seriousness and legitimacy:
- Got over 12 favourable High Court and Supreme Court orders.
- Two BCCI directives that indirectly acknowledge the merit of its case.
- Widespread support in the media, with thousands of reports and videos highlighting its cause.
Most importantly, the TCA has built a framework for the future. It has decentralised cricket across Telangana, created district-level opportunities, and implemented transparent selection processes. It has set its sights on producing not just cricketers, but role models—the next Tendulkars, Dhonis, Kohlis, and Rohits.
If BCCI is truly serious about reform, it must stop funnelling money into the HCA’s black hole. Crores of rupees meant for infrastructure and academies have been misused for personal enrichment. Without strict audits, transparent reporting, and a freeze on funding, any money sent to HCA is money wasted.
The Lodha reforms were meant to curb precisely this sort of rot. But HCA’s functioning mocks those principles. The longer the BCCI tolerates this mess, the more complicit it becomes in the destruction of young talent.
What strengthens the TCA’s claim is not just its record but its leadership. Dharam Guruva Reddy has walked the talk. A former Osmania University captain who represented at national university tournaments, he also played competitive cricket in England—something none of the current HCA officials can boast of. More importantly, he brings integrity and personal honesty to the table. Having once suffered at the hands of a corrupt system, he now fights so others won’t have to.
Philanthropists and corporates have also begun extending support to the TCA, confident that this is an institution capable of building world-class infrastructure if given recognition. Unlike the HCA, the TCA does not inspire suspicion but hope.
At stake here is not just Telangana’s future but the credibility of the Indian cricket administration. By continuing to back a tainted HCA while ignoring the TCA’s genuine appeal for Associate Membership, the BCCI risks sending the wrong message: that corruption is tolerated, but reform is punished.
It is time to reverse that perception. Recognition of TCA would not only restore faith in thousands of players and parents but also prove that the BCCI is serious about decentralisation and reform.
Telangana deserves its fair share. Its players deserve a chance to shine. Indian cricket deserves better than the mess that HCA has become. The ball is now in BCCI’s court.
