The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has been ordered to remove former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s name from the North Pavilion Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The decision was made by V Eswaraiah, a former Chief Justice and the current ombudsman of HCA.
The controversy began in 2019 when Azharuddin was the HCA president. On November 25, 2019, the HCA decided to rename the North Stand after him. The stand was previously named after VVS Laxman.
However, an HCA member filed a complaint in February 2025, claiming the decision to rename the stand was made in violation of HCA rules. The member argued that Azharuddin, as the HCA president, had a conflict of interest and could not make decisions in his favor. According to Rule 38, council members cannot make decisions that benefit themselves.
Backlash and a Potential Lawsuit
Azharuddin has denied any wrongdoing. In an interview with The Hindu, he said he would take the matter to the High Court. Azharuddin felt the decision damaged the HCA’s reputation. He added that his 17-year cricket career and 10 years as team captain should be respected.
The former captain expressed disappointment, saying, “The whole world will laugh at HCA. Is this how you treat all cricketers in Hyderabad? It’s very shameful.”
A History of Controversy
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Ground has been involved in controversy before. The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) team management accused HCA officials of interfering with ticket sales. SRH even threatened to change their home ground.