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Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu has been appointed as the Director of Cricket Operations for the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
The announcement was made on Monday, as the HCA looks to strengthen its leadership and enhance the development of cricket in the region. Rayudu's three-year term starts immediately. Rayudu, who has had a distinguished career in domestic cricket and has represented India in limited-overs formats, will play a key role in shaping the future of cricket in Hyderabad. With his vast experience in international cricket and a deep understanding of the demands of modern-day cricket, Rayudu's appointment is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the HCA's operations. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Rayudu expressed his excitement about the new role. "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 wrote. Rayudu's new role will close a chapter that took center stage in 2019 when he alleged "rampant corruption" at the HCA. At the time, Rayudu had said decisions at the HCA politicised team selections. After that incident, Rayudu left Hyderabad in the 2019-20 season and finished his domestic career with stints at Andhra and Baroda, according to ESPNcricinfo. That was not the first time he had left Hyderabad for other teams--after debuting in 2001-02 as a 16-year-old, he moved to Andhra for one season in 2005-06 before returning to Hyderabad in 2006-07. That second Hyderabad stint lasted till 2009-10. Rayudu's third and final time with Hyderabad as a player was between 2017-18 and 2019-20. Rayudu has featured in 55 ODIs, six T20Is, and 97 first-class matches during his career. Additionally, he has won six Indian Premier League titles, with three each for the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings. Following his retirement from Indian cricket, Rayudu also participated in the CPL and ILT20 leagues in 2023 and 2024. (ANI)
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