Hyderabad: The Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) on Monday issued a stern warning to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), cautioning that any attempt to expand its activities into Telangana districts in violation of pending judicial proceedings and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directives would invite fresh legal action.
In an official press statement issued on Monday, TCA General Secretary Dharam Guruva Reddy said the “Lakshman Rekha” had already been drawn by both the courts and the BCCI, and any attempt to cross it would have legal consequences.
The warning comes in the wake of HCA’s announcement that it would establish cricket academies across eight Telangana districts under the coordination of former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu.
Questioning the move, Guruva Reddy said those associated with the initiative should first understand the legal position before making public announcements.
“The proceedings before the Bombay High Court are still pending. Every individual connected with this initiative should obtain proper legal advice. Cricketing stature cannot override judicial process,” he said.
Claiming that Telangana district cricket had been nurtured by the TCA over the past 12 years, Guruva Reddy alleged that those who had remained absent during that period could not now “rewrite history or bypass the legal framework.”
He further questioned HCA’s stand, asking why it had repeatedly sought time before the Bombay High Court and participated in BCCI-convened joint meetings if it believed collaboration with the TCA was legally untenable.
According to Guruva Reddy, a BCCI order issued on July 11, 2021 had directed both HCA and TCA to collaborate in administering cricket beyond Hyderabad. He said HCA had assured the court that it would comply with the directive, following which the BCCI convened joint meetings in 2025 and 2026.
“If there was never any intention to comply, why seek time before the Court at all? One cannot promise compliance inside the courtroom and deny it outside. History records compliance, not press conferences. Courts determine legality—not unofficial spokespersons,” he remarked.
Guruva Reddy said the continuing uncertainty had prompted the TCA to pursue Associate Membership with the BCCI, contending that Telangana district cricket could not remain “hostage to promises repeatedly made but never honoured.”
The TCA leader also accused the HCA of attempting to divert attention from its own internal issues by creating fresh controversy.
He alleged that the HCA was already grappling with multiple governance disputes, litigation involving affiliated units, compensation claims and other administrative issues. He also referred to what he described as concerns over attempts to attract women cricketers associated with the TCA.
“Instead of resolving its own governance issues, HCA has chosen to provoke another avoidable legal confrontation,” Guruva Reddy alleged.
Rejecting questions over the TCA’s legal standing, he asserted that the association is a duly registered society under the Telangana Societies Registration Act.
“Legal status is determined by statutory authorities and constitutional courts, not by press conferences or spokespersons. Truth requires no spokesperson; it requires compliance,” he said.
Highlighting what he described as the long-standing neglect of district cricketers, Guruva Reddy recalled that former Hyderabad cricketer and selector Maheshwar Singh had publicly acknowledged that deserving players from Telangana districts had often been overlooked.
He also claimed that the recently held TG20 tournament had failed to ensure equitable representation for district players despite assurances.
“This has never been about personalities; it is about systemic neglect. Cricket in Telangana cannot flourish if talented district players continue to be denied fair opportunities. Cricket deserves governance, not governance through controversy,” he observed.
Reiterating the association’s commitment to protecting the interests of district cricketers, Guruva Reddy warned that the TCA would not hesitate to initiate civil, criminal and contempt proceedings, wherever legally sustainable, if HCA or any individual attempted to exercise jurisdiction in Telangana districts by disregarding pending court proceedings or binding BCCI directions.
“The ball has always been in HCA’s court. Collaboration was always the simplest solution. Justice may be delayed, but the judicial record remains unchanged. Ultimately, history will remember who honoured the rule of law and who chose to disregard it,” he said.
