Hyderabad: Muck in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has actually hit the ceiling.

With five of the chosen Pinnacle Council members up versus president Mohammed Azharuddin ever since the acrimonious Annual general meeting (AGM) on April 11, the HCA heavyweights have actually been landing blows and counters for control of the cricket body.

The previous Indian captain is in a tight corner and outnumbered.First it was the appointment of Ombudsman and Ethics Officer on which the two groups weren't on the same page.

Now it is the freshly designated CEO who is caught in the crossfire.

Azhar has taken strong objection to the election of Suneel Kante for the magnate post and has written to secretaries of affiliated clubs, noting out the abnormalities in the appointment, which the other group claims was done at the AGM that continued after the president ended it suddenly (after a racket) and went out with his supporters without completing the agenda.Last week, HCA secretary R.

Vijayanand sent out a note saying Kante has actually taken charge as CEO in the existence of the vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer and was available at the HCA office at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Arena.

Azhar contends Kante does not fulfil the criteria, and tossed the rule book at his rivals as he declared offenses of the constitution of HCA - procedural infirmities in the hiring of the CEO.

It is just rational to presume that the working with procedure was done under the collective obligation and watchful eyes of the Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer and Councillor.

Neither me, the players' council representatives nor the CAG agent were kept in the loop on this hiring, he said, implicating them of conspiring to bulldoze the Constitution.

The guideline says there will be a suitable induction procedure laid down by the Apex Council for the CEO - the supervisors, which will consist of a fair and transparent procedure of appointment, Azhar added.

As per the advertisement provided on October 27, 2020, for CEO - CFO, the six requirements were: Management degree with enough experience in different layers of organisation; understanding of spending plan planning - financial vigilance; operational understanding of cricket operations; ability to implement innovative administrative techniques; should possess the capability to deal with regulatory bodies and must be a team gamer.

Twelve CVs were gotten on email in between October 27, 2020 and November 11, 2020.

The CV of the picked candidate announced by the Secretary is not in the list of applications gotten on email.

I would be amazed if the 12 applicants were even required an interview.

Shortlisted candidates should have been evaluated by a panel of professionals from the fields of cricket, financing, management, legal, compliance - administration.

None of this was followed.

The law also states he should have management experience of a minimum of 5 years as CEO/MD of a company having a turnover of at least '100 crores besides having understanding - familiarity with cricket - other sports; understanding of the monetary position - fiscal direction of HCA; understanding of operations of cricket administration - overall policy; clearness on function, department of responsibilities - hierarchy and familiarity with regulatory - legal obligations - attendant threats.

All the above requirements of law were blatantly violated, Azhar declared.

The rival group put out Kante's CV that notes him holding a Master in Company Administration degree and having worked for companies such as Tata Technologies, Ernst - Young and EXL with stints in the UK and the USA.Ironically, in the previous episode, it was Azhar who went on with the appointment of an ombudsman which was challenged by the group over procedures and offenses of norms.Azhar says there's a query initiated versus some members of the Pinnacle Council which they should get their names cleared by the authority prior to administration can resume and Council meetings convened.

The opposite group is levelling charges, raking up Azhar's past and pending CBI cases on match repairing and betting.This unsightly conflict is absolutely dragging Hyderabad cricket through mud, and the video game looks far from gentlemanly now.