Shetty googly stumps Hyderabad Cricket Association

Hyderabad: The already in jitters Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) was dealt yet another major blow late Thursday night. It gathered momentum on Friday when it became clear that the hotchpotch manner the senior selection committee was formed was getting thrown asunder.

If the resignation of P Ramesh and Srinivas Chakravarthy was not enough in itself, a bigger body-blow came when Jyothi Shetty followed suit throwing the Association in shambles.

In a strongly-worded, but diplomatically veiled, missive to HCA President G Vivekanand, he vented his ire at several misnomers, which did not go well with a credible selection panel.

Shetty decried the manner players named by the selectors on meritorious credentials were being replaced unilaterally. He is supposedly also unhappy with the highhandedness of ‘certain’ selectors also.

“I, the undersigned, would like to bring to your kind notice that the selection process with the Senior Selection Committee is not going in the right direction and as such I continuing in the same is of no consequence as players are being changed in the teams according to the whims and fancies of the other selectors.

It is most unfortunate that I was not informed of the selection of the U-23 team which is playing against Saurashtra at Gymkhana Grounds from the 23rd to the 26th of November, 2017.

“Sir, in such a situation when performance is of no consequence and deserving players are being omitted, I do not wish to continue as a member of the Senior Selection Committee in the larger interest of Hyderabad Cricket,” go the contents of the letter Shetty has shot-off.

Taking pot-shots at the administrators for being silent spectators to the tantrums thrown around by their ‘yes-men’ coming under the garb of selectors, the visibly upset Shetty also had a dig at the way under-performing players were being pushed into the ambit while those with a proven track-record were being sidelined.

He contended that he was taking the decision in response to his inner-calling and conscience. One wonders about what lies ahead for HCA, considering that the Ranji season is underway.

It should surprise no one in particular if the officials knit teams for immediate future engagements (after the Delhi showdown) based on their whims and fancies giving a damn to talent and winning potentialities, as a veteran pointed out in utter dismay.