By Vinay Rao Once upon a time, Indian parents wanted their sons to become engineers, doctors, or at least government officers. In 2026, they want only one thing: a state cap and, if destiny permits, a dugout selfie in the Indian Premier League. Welcome to the golden age of cricket — where talent is optional,…
By Vinay Rao The whispers inside Hyderabad cricket circles are no longer whispers. They are turning into uncomfortable questions. Across club offices, dressing rooms, and practice grounds, a growing sentiment is hardening — that the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) administration seems more invested in power equations and patronage than in performance and grassroots growth. This…
By Vinay Rao Hyderabad cricket is no stranger to turbulence. But what it faces today is not routine turbulence. It is an institutional credibility test. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), already battered by allegations of corruption, nepotism, administrative paralysis and internal factionalism, now stands at a defining crossroads. And the central question before it is…
By Vinay Rao The Hyderabad cricket ecosystem today resembles a long-running soap opera — selection controversies, corruption whispers, byelaw acrobatics, election drama and administrative flip-flops unfolding episode after episode. The latest instalment, surrounding the B-Division League semifinals under the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), reads less like sport and more like a screenplay — with the…
By Vinay Rao Hyderabad cricket is no longer merely battling on the field. It is battling for institutional credibility. For over a year, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has resembled an organisation trapped in administrative turbulence rather than a professional sporting body. Opaque selections. Disputed appointments. Byelaws allegedly stretched to convenience. Leadership legitimacy under challenge….
By Vinay Rao Time for a Wake-Up Call Why is it acceptable to lose—repeatedly—while continuing to rely on the same small pool of players? The latest example is the loss against Mumbai by eight wickets. Hyderabad had ideal conditions: batting first and then bowling on a wearing wicket. If ever there was a match to…
By Vinay Rao There was genuine hope when Justice Naveen Rao was appointed court-appointed administrator of Hyderabad cricket. For a brief moment, that hope seemed justified. Promotion matches concluded without chaos. League cricket began on schedule. After years of turbulence, the system appeared to be finding its balance again. But that confidence is now visibly fraying. The…
By Vinay Rao Blaming parents has become the easiest reflex in India’s cricketing ecosystem—more so in this part of the country. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Hyderabad Cricket Association, an institution entangled in controversy, allegations of corruption, nepotism, and a web of legal battles. Matters are pending not only with state investigating…
By Vinay Rao For years, the prevailing wisdom around Hyderabad cricket has been one of resignation. Nothing changes, many said. The system is too entrenched, the networks too deep, the corridors of power too insulated from scrutiny. Corruption, nepotism, and selective governance, critics argued, had become features rather than flaws. And yet, dissent has a…
By Vinay Rao How will Hyderabad find its next Mohammad Siraj or Tilak Varma if the talent pool itself remains narrow? When the same players are repeatedly rotated through age-group and senior sides until they eventually succeed, opportunity becomes persistence-driven rather than merit-driven. Such insulation may work briefly at the domestic level, but it becomes a liability…
