Mohammad Azharuddin vows legal action after HCA ordered to remove his name from the Hyderabad stadium stand

Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin will no longer have a stand named after him at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The decision to remove his name from the North Stand follows a complaint filed by Lords Cricket Club in February, citing a potential conflict of interest.

Previously known as the VVS Laxman Pavilion, the North Stand was renamed the Azharuddin Stand in 2019 while he was serving as the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). However, the HCA has now been ordered to eliminate Azharuddin’s name from the stand and ensure it does not appear on future match tickets.

Justice V. Eswaraiah, HCA’s Ethics Officer and Ombudsman, issued the ruling on Saturday after reviewing the petition. He determined that Azharuddin had made a unilateral decision to rename the stand, bypassing necessary approvals from the General Body.

"The absence of ratification or modification by the General Body further strengthens the case against Respondent No. 1 (Azharuddin), as he has exceeded his authority for personal gain," Justice Eswaraiah stated in his 25-page verdict, as reported by Cricbuzz.

Lords Cricket Club had urged the Ombudsman to reinstate the stand’s previous name, emphasizing that Rule 38 prohibits Apex Council members from making self-serving decisions. Consequently, the plea to remove Azharuddin's name was accepted.

Reacting to the decision, Azharuddin expressed disappointment and vowed to take legal action.

"There is no conflict of interest here. I don’t wish to comment further, but this is a disgrace. I served as captain for nearly a decade, and this is how Hyderabad treats its cricketers? We will definitely go to court. The law will take its course," he told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, Lords Cricket Club welcomed the verdict.

"This decision reaffirms our commitment to transparency and integrity. We appreciate the fair and just evaluation by the authorities," the club’s treasurer, Somna Misra, stated.

Azharuddin played for India from 1985 to 2000, accumulating 6215 runs in 99 Tests and 9378 runs in 334 ODIs, with 29 centuries to his name. His career was cut short in 2000 when the BCCI banned him following match-fixing allegations involving Hansie Cronje.

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