Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin
Personal information
Full name Mohammad Azharuddin
Born (1963-02-08) 8 February 1963
Hyderabad, then Andhra Pradesh now Telangana State, India
Nickname Azhar, Ajju, Azzu[1]
Batting style Right-handed batsman
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Role Batsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 169) 30 December 1984 v England
Last Test 2 March 2000 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 51) 20 January 1985 v England
Last ODI 3 June 2000 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1981–2000 Hyderabad
1983–2001 South Zone
1991–1994 Derbyshire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 99 334 229 433
Runs scored 6,216 9,378 15,855 12,941
Batting average 45.03 36.92 51.98 39.33
100s/50s 22/21 7/58 54/74 11/85
Top score 199 153* 226 161*
Balls bowled 13 552 1,432 827
Wickets 0 12 17 15
Bowling average – 39.91 46.23 47.26
5 wickets in innings – 0 0 0
10 wickets in match – n/a 0 n/a
Best bowling 0/4 3/19 3/36 3/19
Catches/stumpings 105/– 156/– 220/– 200/–
Source: CricketArchive, 13 February 2009
Mohammad Azharuddin
Member of Parliament for Moradabad
In office
16 May 2009 – 16 May 2014
Preceded by Shafiqur Rahman Barq
Succeeded by Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh
Personal details
Born (1963-02-08) 8 February 1963
Hyderabad, Telangana State, India
Political party Indian National Congress
Spouse(s) Naureen (1990-1996) (divorced)
Sangeeta Bijlani (1996-2010)
Children 2
Residence Hyderabad,India
As of 1 July, 2009

Mohammad Azharuddin  pronunciation  (born 8 February 1963 in Hyderabad, then Andhra Pradesh now Telangana State, India) is a former Indian cricket captain and a politician. He was an accomplished batsman and captained the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990s. For his achievements he was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1986.[2]

He was elected as a member of Parliament from Moradabad constituency on Indian National Congress party ticket.[3]

Azharuddin was implicated in a cricket match-fixing scandal in 2000, and banned by BCCI for life. On 8 November 2012, the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the ban, describing it as "unsustainable".[4]

A biopic "Azhar" is being produced where Emraan Hashmi plays Azharuddin and Nargis Fakhri plays Sangeeta Bijlani; is slated to be released on 13 May 2016.[5]

Early life

Azhar, as he is popularly known, grew up in Hyderabad and attended All Saints High School, Hyderabad in Hyderabad, of which fellow cricketers Venkatapathy Raju and Noel David are also alumni. While playing cricket, he graduated from Nizam College, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana State with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

International cricket career

He debuted with three consecutive centuries in his first Tests.[3] After induction into the Indian cricket team as a middle order batsman, Azharuddin quickly gained international fame by scoring 3 test centuries in the first 3 test matches he played. As a cricketer, he was known for a graceful and fluid batting style - John Woodcock, a noted cricket writer, said of him, "It's no use asking an Englishman to bat like Mohammad Azharuddin. It would be like expecting a greyhound to win the Epsom Derby."[6] He also won praise elsewhere, with umpire Venkataraghavan stating that "Azharuddin had the best wrists in the game".

Highlights

Azhar scored a final total of 22 centuries in test cricket, at an average of 45, and 7 in ODIs, at an average of 37. To date, he is the only cricketer with the distinction of scoring a century in each of his first three tests. As a fielder, he took 156 catches in ODI cricket. His highest test score is 199, gained against Sri Lanka, and in 1991 he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

Captaincy

Azharuddin was captain of the Indian team for most of the 1990s. He has been one of India's most successful captains, winning 90 ODIs. Later this achievement was surpassed by M.S. Dhoni on 2 September 2014 against England overtaking him as the most successful Indian ODI captain with 91 victories .[7] His 14 test match wins as captain was a record until it was bettered by then Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly with 21 test match wins.

Match fixing scandal

Towards the end of his career Azharuddin was accused and found guilty of match-fixing;[8] and a life ban on Azharuddin's participation in cricket (as a player and in an officiating capacity) was imposed. South African captain Hansie Cronje, in his confession to match-fixing, had indicated that Azharuddin was the one to introduce him to the bookies.[9] India's premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, conducted an investigation and published a report.[10]

The ICC and the BCCI banned Azharuddin for life in 2000. The BCCI lifted the ban on Azharuddin in 2006, even honouring him along with other Indian Test captains in a ceremony in Mumbai during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. The ICC, however, has stated that it alone has the right to revoke the ban, despite playing no role in handing out the original ban.

Ban lifted

On 8 November 2012, a Divisional Bench consisting of Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice Krishna Mohan Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed the ban imposed upon him after the allegations.[4][11][12]

Aftermath "It was a long drawn out legal case and it was painful. We fought in the court for 11 years. There were lots of adjournments, changes in the case. But, finally, the verdict has come and I am happy that the ban has been lifted by the court," Azharuddin told a hastily called press conference at his residence in Delhi.

Political career

Azhruddin formally joined the Indian National Congress party on 19 February 2009. He contested the Indian general election, 2009 from Moradabad in western Uttar Pradesh.

Test statistics

Mohammad Azharuddin's career performance graph.

By opponent

Australia

England

New Zealand

Pakistan

South Africa

Sri Lanka

West Indies

Zimbabwe

Total

Films

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Sport / Cricket : Of comparisons and imitations. The Hindu (2011-03-01). Retrieved on 2012-07-14.
  2. ↑
  3. 1 2 Choudhury, Angikaar. "Mohammad Azharuddin: The rise and fall of the Nawab of Hyderabad". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  4. 1 2 "AP high court lifts ban on Azharuddin". Wisden India. 8 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Azhar trailer: Success, controversies, downfall, scandal - this fantastic trailer captures everything! | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  6. ↑ Astill, James (2013). The Great Tamasha: Cricket, corruption and the turbulent rise of modern India. Wisden Sports Writing. p. 132. ISBN 978-1408156926.
  7. ↑ "Virat Kohli has to behave like a captain, says Mohammad Azharuddin". The Indian Express. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "BBC SPORT | CORRUPTION IN CRICKET |". BBC News. 5 December 2000. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  9. ↑ "cricket channel – The CBI Report, in full". rediff.com. 1 November 2000. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  10. ↑ "Full tex of the CBI report. Report on cricket match-fixing and related malpractises, October 2000". Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi. rediff.com. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  11. ↑ - Match fixing scandal "‘I have come out clean and proven many wrong’" Check |url= value (help). The Hindu. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Match fixing charges: Andhra court says life ban on Azharuddin illegal". NDTV. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2015.

External links

Preceded by
Krishnamachari Srikkanth		 Indian National Test Cricket Captain
1989/90 – 1996 		Succeeded by
Sachin Tendulkar
Preceded by
Sachin Tendulkar		 Indian National Test Cricket Captain
1997/98 – 1998/99 		Succeeded by
Sachin Tendulkar
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