Hyderabad, May 5 (IANS) Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has been appointed as Head of Cricket Operations for the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), pledging to fight corruption, the allegations of which have plagued the association for many years, as he took charge on Tuesday.

“I am very happy to announce that I have been appointed as the Head of cricketing operations for HCA by Justice P Naveen Rao(SMC), M Jeevan Reddy (Secretary HCA), and the apex council. It is a great opportunity to clean up a few things, but I am more excited to see the immense cricketing talent in Hyderabad and Telangana flourish and produce more players to represent the country,” Rayudu said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The former Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings batter, who also made a vow to address matters of deep concern in HCA, has identified the elimination of corruption as an immediate priority.

“A player contract system, like what the Mumbai Cricket Association recently announced, is in the pipeline. We will modernise and professionalise our cricketing operations, which will be automated to avoid human interference,” Rayudu said in comments to local media organisations on Tuesday.

Rayudu also said he has plans to establish a centre of excellence inspired by the one in Bengaluru.

Rayudu, who started his domestic career in Hyderabad, representing in age-group tournaments before coming into the limelight at the U-19 World Cup, said he would like to focus on cricket in the state and leave politics to others.

He also said that the players are the priority and it was his job to focus on the welfare of the players.

Rayudu has had a chequered history with the HCA and had moved to the neighbouring Andhra Cricket Association following a controversial falling-out with some of the players, including the son of former India spinner Shivlal Yadav, who was the top administrator in HCA at that time.

His appointment as Head of Cricket Operations is being seen as an attempt by the present HCA governing body to improve the standard of the game in the state.

–IANS

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