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Hyderabad ready to host Hazare tourney
The Ranji season may have spelt disaster to the administrators running Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) but they seem to have forgotten the nightmarish season that has just ended.
Hyderabad: The Ranji season may have spelt disaster to the administrators running Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) but they seem to have forgotten the nightmarish season that has just ended.
Presently, they are giving finishing touches and leaving no stone unturned to make a success of the Vijay Hazare One-Day cricket tournament that they will host in the city from December 10 to 18.
After all, it is going to be a gala competitive affair what with the likes of the latest poster boys, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane, joining the ranks of Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh to name few expected to turn up for their respective teams.
The Hyderabad leg of the prestigious limited overs domestic tournament will feature formidable outfits Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Services and Assam and the host, which all constitute the Group ‘A’ competitive draw.
Sounding a note of optimism, HCA Secretary John Manoj said “we are ready for the upcoming tournament. The matches will be conducted at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Gymkhana and RRC Sports Complex.”
Here is a catch. RRC has been included as the original choice Vijayanand Cricket Ground was found to be short of the BCCI specifications of a ground being 140-145 metres.
“This works well with us because the railways is closer to all and situated in between the other two venues,” points out Manoj. Curator Chandrashekar explains that ‘the wickets will all be sportive.” On the form of the Hyderabad players, the Secretary is a bit disappointed.
“Our batsmen were not up to the mark in Ranji. Except GH Vihari and P Akshath Reddy who were more consistent, none was able to stay in the middle. B Anirudh and Tanmay Agarwal struck form but that too late in the day.’
“It is for this reason that we have selected players who are suitable for the ensuing tournament like Kanishkk Naidu and T Suman. Even B Yathin Reddy and Jaweed Ali have done well in the Under-23 and League matches,” he explains on the revamped team.
Indeed, everyone is keeping fingers crossed because unlike the Ranji opponents here they will have to go into battle against current Team India players. That, simply put, implies that they have to raise the bar several times to make a match of it.
By Subhash Chandra
