Like thousands of cricket lovers across the historic city of Hyderabad, I too felt a rare and immense joy this week. As a former Ranji player and someone still coaching youngsters even at this stage of life, that joy comes naturally—born out of pure passion and love for the game. After years of heartbreak and mediocrity, the Hyderabad cricket team finally ended the drought by lifting the prestigious Buchi Babu Trophy, defeating the hosts Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) President’s XI on first-innings lead at the CSK-HPC ground in Chennai.
It was not just a win, but a moment of redemption. For decades, the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament has been considered one of the premier pre-season competitions in Indian domestic cricket, often a testing ground for the state teams ahead of the Ranji season. Hyderabad, which last won this title more than two decades ago in 2001, had since sunk into irrelevance, delivering only sporadic flashes of brilliance while steadily losing ground to traditional powerhouses like Mumbai, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. To see them once again emerge champions is nothing short of a miracle for those who have followed the decline of the once-proud cricket culture in the city.
The contest itself was as tense as it was telling. TNCA President’s XI pushed Hyderabad to the brink, but it was the calm resistance of two young batters—Varun Goud (56 not out) and Rahul Radesh (31 not out)—that sealed the result. Together, they put on an unbeaten 85-run stand for the sixth wicket, facing 242 balls in the process. Runs mattered less than survival. Every dot ball, every forward defense, and every leave frustrated the hosts. By the time Hyderabad had taken their 178-run total lead and finished at 155 for five, the fight had been drained out of TNCA’s attack. The result was sealed not with fireworks, but with grit.
That, in many ways, is symbolic of where Hyderabad cricket stands today. For too long, the team has been plagued by inconsistency, politics, and worse—an atmosphere where “pay and play” became a whispered reality under successive Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) administrations. Critics, not entirely unfairly, blamed nepotism, corruption, and conflict of interest for the city’s decline. Promising cricketers were left out, while undeserving names found their way into teams. The rot was deep.
This is why the victory feels different. The current squad was picked by selectors named under the watch of the Supreme Court-appointed Ombudsman, Justice L. Nageshwar Rao, specifically to clean up the mess. Merit, for once, seems to have been the guiding principle. Even attempts by some in the truncated HCA apex council—reeling after the arrests of its President, Secretary, and Treasurer—to influence selections reportedly met resistance from those determined to protect the integrity of the process.
It worked. And the result is there for all to see.
But if this is to be a turning point, then the present High Court-appointed administrator, Justice Naveen Rao, must hold firm. With a free hand to streamline operations, he carries the responsibility of ensuring that this momentum is not wasted. The whispers are already back—talk of office-bearers lobbying to interfere with junior teams, trying to slip their favored names into squads. If Hyderabad cricket has to move forward, such interventions must be resisted ruthlessly.
The broader context cannot be ignored. Hyderabad has produced world-class cricketers in the past—M. L. Jaisimha, Mohammad Azharuddin, VVS Laxman, Pragyan Ojha—but its domestic trophy cabinet has been bare for too long. The team has not won the Ranji Trophy since 1986–87, and only sporadically made it to the knockouts. In that light, this Buchi Babu triumph is not merely a trophy; it is a glimmer of what can be reclaimed if talent is allowed to flourish without politics choking it.
For the fans, this was more than just a win in Chennai. It was a reminder that Hyderabad cricket still has a pulse. That after years of frustration, the spirit of resilience survives. That if meritocracy is respected, Hyderabad can once again stand tall among India’s cricketing elite.
Joy, indeed, knows no bounds.
