October 18 Friday 2002
Azharuddin awaits court verdict

HYDERABAD, India: Former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin is pinning his hopes of reviving his cricket career on a court verdict later this month. Banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India two years ago for his alleged involvement in match-fixing, he still harbours lingering hopes of a Test comeback. Azharuddin played his 99th Test in March 2000, scoring his 22nd century in an innings defeat by South Africa in Bangalore. The ban followed a Central Bureau of Investigation report into "match-fixing and allied malpractices" which was released eight months later and which alleged Azhar had a major role to play in the scandal.

The BCCI initiated their internal inquiry which endorsed the findings and led to three other Indian Test cricketers being banned, Ajay Sharma (life), Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Jadeja (both five years). Azharuddin claimed there were irregularities in the inquiry, however, and filed an appeal in January 2001. "We will question legal credentials of the people who investigated the whole issue," lawyer H R Bhardwaj said at the time. Now, after lengthy delays, Azharuddin told Man's World magazine that the High Court of Hyderabad had directed the sessions court to give a ruling on the ban on or before October 30.

Even though he'll be 40 next February, Azhar has publicly proclaimed his desire to return to international cricket and play in his 100th Test. His chances appear remote, however, with India currently enjoying a run of excellent form and possessing a batting line-up as good as any other in world cricket.

"As a sentimental Hyderabadi, I would have been happy to see Azhar play 100 Test matches under normal circumstances. But in the existing set-up with so many youngsters in the side, he stands little chance, whatever be the courts verdict. He would have to start his career from scratch and there would be no time for that," said Poundri Ramsingh Man Singh, the manager of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team and former secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association.

Although Azhar is not commenting publicly on the case as it is currently subjudice, one of his former team-mates has gone on record to offer his backing. Former Test off-spinner Arshad Ayub has been quoted as saying: "I think the BCCI should lift the ban and let him get on with his life."