Cricket administrators in Hyderabad have long made more headlines for infighting and allegations of financial impropriety than for cricket. Now the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is trying to change that, and at the centre of that push is M. Jeevan Reddy, who took charge as HCA’s secretary in March.
This helped more than 150 players get a grand stage to showcase their talent, with some even snapping up trial opportunities with IPL teams. Two key appointments followed: Ambati Rayudu leading the Cricket Operations Committee and Wasim Jaffer as mentor to every team under its umbrella, both coming on board only after being guaranteed an interference-free environment. “Anybody in Hyderabad has the opportunity to engage with the best sporting infrastructure. But how about rural Telangana? They don’t have basic facilities, like grounds or nets to practice, or coaches. Jeevan has not been shy in seeking help when required. For instance, he roped in people associated with the Tamil Nadu Premier League for the smooth functioning of TG20. “In the next two years, there could be three more teams coming in, and then hopefully the matches will also come to Hyderabad.
I wanted to focus on rural cricketing activity when I came in,” Jeevan told The Hindu . Jeevan said the Gymkhana Ground is undergoing major changes ahead of the upcoming domestic season. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL An interest in being part of an expanding Women’s Premier League canopy is another reason he cited for wanting a new venue. If everything goes according to plan, somebody from Hyderabad itself could own a team,” he explained, stopping short of revealing much more.