Azharuddin Regrets Cricket Career After Pavilion Name Removal
On April 22, Pakistan reported that former Indian cricket team leader Mohammad Azharuddin deeply lamented his sporting career following the removal of his name from a stadium stand. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) was instructed to rename the North Pavilion Stand at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, which previously bore his name.
The HCA was instructed not to print Azharuddin’s name on match tickets anymore, including those for the current IPL 2025 matches. This directive came from Justice V. Eswaraiah, who serves as the ethics officer of the HCA, following a petition that highlighted issues with Azharuddin’s behavior during his tenure as president.
Azharuddin referred to the decision as a "disgrace" and mentioned that he felt personally wounded. He alleged that his exclusion from the HCA elections was due to his revelations of corruption within the organization.
The petition alleged bias against him and proposed renaming the stand after VVS Laxman. Later this season, the venue will play host to crucial IPL fixtures such as the Eliminator and Qualifier 1.