Mohammad Azharuddin

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Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin.jpg
Mohammad Azharuddin
Player information
Surname Mohammad Azharuddin
Nickname Azhar, Ajju, Azzu
Batting style Right handed
Bowling style Right-handed medium
Player role Batsman
International games
National team India India
Test debut (cap 169) 31st December 1984 v  EnglandEngland
Last test March 2, 2000 v  South AfricaSouth Africa
ODI debut (cap 51) 20th January 1985 v  EnglandEngland
Last ODI June 3, 2000 v  PakistanPakistan
National teams
Years team
1981-2000 Hyderabad
1983-2001 South Zone
1991-1994 Derbyshire
Career statistics
Game form test ODI FC LA
Games 99 334 229 433
Runs (total) 6.216 9,378 15,855 12,941
Batting average 45.08 36.92 51.98 39.33
100s / 50s 22/21 7/58 54/74 11/85
Highscore 199 153 * 226 161 *
Balls 13 552 1432 827
Wickets 0 12 17th 15th
Bowling Average - 98.44 46.23 47.26
5 wickets in innings - 0 0 0
10 wickets in play - n / A 0 n / A
Best bowling performance - / - 3/19 3/36 3/19
Catches / stumpings 105 / - 156 / - 220 / - 200 / -
Source: Cricinfo , December 25, 2018

Mohammad Azharuddin (born February 8, 1963 in Hyderabad , India ) is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team , who was a member of the Indian parliament Lok Sabha after his career as a politician .

childhood and education

Azharuddin grew up in Hyderabad and attended All Saints High School, Hyderabad, and graduated from Osmania University with a bachelor's degree. He started playing cricket when he was 10 years old.

Cricket career

The beginnings

In 1981 Azharuddin made his first-class cricket debut for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy . During the 1982/83 Ranji Trophy season he scored 2,648 runs in 49 innings , and 2,499 runs in 60 innings the following season .

Promotion to the national team

Azharuddin began his testing career with the Tour against England in the 1984/85 season . He caused a sensation in that he was the only one in his first three tests to achieve a Century (100 runs in one innings). On the same tour he also played his first ODI . He was established in the team and played in the other tournaments of the season. He was at the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket 1984/85 in Australia as well as at the Rothmans Four Nations Cup 1984/85 in the United Arab Emirates.He had a considerable share in games against Pakistan with 93 * and 47 runs respectively Success. The following winter he showed consistent performance and scored a few fifties (50 runs in innings). During the 1986 tour in England he scored the most runs with 86 * in the first ODI, thus ensuring India's only win in the series. On this tour he was also the most successful Indian batsman. On the tour against Australia and the 1986/87 Champions Trophy , Azharuddin remained lackluster. In the tour against Sri Lanka he scored 199 runs, the highest number of runs in a test of his career. In the course of the tour he achieved another ODI-Century. For 1986 he was awarded the Arjuna Award . Pakistan was next in India as a guest and Azharuddin achieved not only two test centers but also an outstanding performance in fielding . At the Cricket World Cup 1987 he was able to contribute with strong performances to successfully pass the group stage. He also scored the most runs for India in the semifinals against England, but it was not enough for a win and India was eliminated. He played his next prominent role in the Tour against New Zealand in 1988/89 , where he scored 81 runs in the third Test, which was too much for New Zealand to turn the game in the second innings. He also scored a Century in the ODI series. His performance on the following tour in the West Indies was marked by an injury to his groin , which had previously caused him problems but was not treated. When Sachin Tendulkar made his debut during the tour against Pakistan in 1989/90 he managed a century. India could not convince on the tour and so the association tried to force a change.

Appointment as captain

An inexperienced team was sent on the following tour to New Zealand . The head of the association, Raj Singh Dungarpur , asked Azharuddin with the question "Miyaan, captain banoge?" (Brother, do you want to be the captain?) Appointed the new captain of the crew . On the tour he was still one of the better batsman, including a century of 192 runs, but could not avoid defeat. In the summer of 1990 he traveled to England with the national team , where he led the team that was being rebuilt. With two strong performances by Azharuddin, the ODI series 2–0 could be won. In the first test, Graham Gooch put the English in a very good starting position with his 333 runs and India had great problems avoiding the follow-on . In this situation Azharuddin scored important points with 121 runs to keep India in the game. However, another Century von Gooch ensured that England scored the series’s all-important win. In the second test he scored 179 runs, but England saved the draw. In the following season he showed only moderate performance. From the summer of 1991 he played for Derbyshire County Cricket in England . He was also named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year that year. In the national team, Azharuddin came under pressure because he did not do well himself. Especially on the tour in Australia he did not manage to adapt to the conditions. Only in the fourth test in Adelaide did he succeed with a Century of 106 runs. At the Cricket World Cup 1992 he and the team showed poor performance and eliminated in the preliminary round. Only against Australia could he deliver a strong performance with 93 runs. Against South Africa Azharuddin could only achieve a fifty and otherwise he was not able to bring the team to success as captain. This increased the pressure on him, but again he was able to assert himself with a strong innings in the first test of the following tour against England with 182 runs. India then won the test series 3–0. In the seventh and final game of the ODI series against England, he was able to save the 3–3 draw of the series with 95 *. The next Centuries he achieved in two consecutive tests against Sri Lanka . With 108 and 152 runs, he secured clear tour success. In the fogle he remained lackluster, but was able to lead the team as captain to take place. For example, he won the 1995 Asia Cup with India .

Dismissal as captain

At the Cricket World Cup 1996 India failed in the semifinals to Sri Lanka. The decisive factor was the decision to start fielding, as the pitch for India in her innings turned out to be uncontrollable. Azharuddin justified his decision by saying that it was made collectively by the team and that he feared that Sri Lanka would have too good qualities in catching up large backlogs. Nevertheless, the decision to flip a coin was seen by many as one of the biggest mistakes a team captain made. In the summer of the tour in England they lost both the test and the ODI series. Azharuddin was accused of poor communication with his team. After an argument with the captain, the Indian player Navjot Singh Sidhu left the team before the start of the tour and returned to India. The achievements in Azharuddin's field were also inadequate. All of this resulted in his being released as captain after the tour was over and Sachin Tendulkar took over the post. Azharuddin was at that time one of the statistically best captains in India. In the 1996/97 season he was able to increase his performance again. Especially on the tour against South Africa , he decided the test series for India. In the second test of the series, he scored the century in 74 balls and at this point equalized the record for the fastest test century. In the third test, he scored another 163 * in the second innings. He also achieved a Century on the following test series in South Africa . However, he struggled in the tour in the West Indies and as a consequence he was thrown from the team. Nevertheless, he was back in the team at the 1997 Asia Cup and was able to achieve 81 runs there twice. Also on the following tour against Sri Lanka he was able to convince with one test and one ODI century. In the Friendship Cup against Pakistan , Azharuddin managed three Fifties in five games, most of which also decided the game for India.

Reinstatement as captain

At the beginning of the 1997/98 season India came under pressure as the team's performance was no longer convincing. After the home tour against Sri Lanka in which both series ended in a draw, Sachin Tendulkar was removed from his captaincy and the selection committee decided to reinstate Azharuddin as captain. Back in office he scored an ODI-Century against Pakistan at the Silver Jubilee Independence Cup 1997/98 . The following successful test series against Australia was decided in the second test by a Century of 163 *. In the Pepsi Triangular Series 1997/98 he managed an ODI-Century against Zimbabwe . At the numerous ODIs that India played in tours and tournaments at that time, Azharuddin managed to make decisive fifties again and again. Another Century succeeded against Pakistan in Toronto and against New Zealand in the test series of the 1998/99 season . The further preparation for the Cricket World Cup 1999 in England went for Azharuddin with constant performance. At the World Cup itself, however, he could only show poor performance on the stroke and so India did not manage to qualify for the semi-finals. As a consequence, he was once again replaced as captain by Tendulkar.

The betting scandal and lifelong ban

After he was dismissed as captain, he was first kicked out of the team. It was not until the tour against South Africa that Azharuddin was back in the squad. The Indian team had a hard time but after losing the test series, in which Azharuddin scored a Century, at least won the ODI series. However, three weeks after the tour it became known that during the last ODI, phone calls between a bookmaker and the South African captain Hansie Cronje , who ensured that the team played weakly in games against payment, had been tapped. Azharuddin played in the Coca-Cola Cup 1999/2000 and Asia Cup 2000 , before the end of June 2000 during the interrogations of Cronje came out that Azharuddin Cronje had brought into contact with the bookmaker Mukesh Gupta . According to Cronje's statement, this contact had taken place during the tour of South Africa in India in 1996/97 as part of the third test in Kanpur . As a result, Azharuddin was also interrogated. Media reports suggested that he should have manipulated the following three ODIs : one each at the Titan Cup 1996/97 against South Africa in Rajkot, the final of the Asia Cup 1997 in Colombo against Sri Lanka and the third game of the Pepsi Cup 1998/99 against Pakistan in Jaipur . India lost all these games. However, in an interview after the interrogation, Azharuddin denied the allegations. Azharuddin was then placed on a life-long ban by the Indian Association.

After the lock

In 2003, Azharuddin tried to have the ban lifted by a court, but initially failed. The fact that Azharuddin was nominated for non-professional games in 2006 attracted attention. He also played in subsequent events. In 2012, a court ruled that his suspension was illegal.

Political career

In the Indian parliamentary elections in 2009 he won a seat in the Lok Sabha for the Indian National Congress . In the parliamentary elections in 2014 , he could not win a place.

Web links

Commons : Mohammad Azharuddin  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Hyderabad batsman Mohammad Azharuddin rises as new batting sensation ( English ) India Today. February 28, 1985. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  2. ↑ The birth of Biff ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ 3rd Match (D / N), Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket at Melbourne, Feb 20 1985 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  4. ^ 1st Match, Rothmans Four-Nations Cup at Sharjah, Mar 22 1985 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. ^ 1st ODI, India tour of England at London, May 24 1986 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ The Indians in England, 1986 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  7. ^ 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of India at Kanpur, Dec 17-22 1986 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ 5th ODI, Sri Lanka tour of India at Mumbai, Jan 17 1987 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  9. ↑ a b c Matt Hatter: Mohammad Azharuddin - A story of graceful batting, match-fixing controversies and turbulent marriages ( English ) Cricinfo. May 12, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  10. ^ R. Mohen: The Pakistanis in India, 1986-87 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  11. ↑ 2nd SF, Reliance World Cup at Mumbai, Nov 5 1987 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  12. ^ The New Zealanders in India, 1988-89 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  13. ^ The Indians in the West Indies, 1988-89 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  14. ↑ The Indians in Pakistan 1989-90 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  15. ^ The Indians in New Zealand, 1989-90 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  16. ↑ The Indians in England, 1990 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  17. ^ John Thicknesse: England v India, 1990 - First Cornhill Test, Lord's ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  18. ^ Graham Otway: England v India 1990 - Second Cornhill Test ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  19. ↑ Top Indian cricketers who have represented English counties ( English ) The Hindu. May 4, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  20. ↑ Sanjay Manjkekar: Endless summer ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  21. ^ The Indians in Australia, 1991-92 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  22. ↑ 1992 Cricket World Cup: Reliving one of the greatest ODI tournaments ( English ) Sportskeeda. November 23, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  23. ↑ The Indians in Zimbabwe and South Africa, 1992-93 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  24. ↑ England in India and Sri Lanka, 1992-93 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  25. ↑ 7th ODI, England tour of India at Gwalior, Mar 5 1993 ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  26. ↑ The Sri Lankans in India, 1993-94 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  27. ↑ Azharuddin rubbishes Kambli's claim that 1996 World Cup semifinal was fixed ( English ) Times of India. November 19, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  28. ↑ Krish Sripada: My first real heartbreak: the Eden debacle of 1996 ( English ) Sportskeeda. April 20, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  29. ↑ The Indians in England, 1996 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  30. ^ Cricket: Tendulkar is India's new captain ( English ) Independent. August 10, 1996. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  31. ↑ a b V Shankar Aiyar: Selectors say Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy premature, fall back on Azharuddin's experience ( English ) India Today. January 12, 1998. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  32. ↑ Colin Bryden: South Africa in India, 1996-97 ( English ) Wisden. January 29, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  33. ^ Tony Cozier: India in West Indies, 1996-97 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  34. ↑ E Rodrigo Pulle: Sad, the dropping of Azharuddin ( English ) Cricinfo. May 12, 1997. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  35. ^ The Australians in India, 1997-98 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  36. ↑ Tendulkar named Indian captain ( English ) Cricinfo. July 28, 1999. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  37. ↑ Tendulkar 'pressurized' into taking captaincy ( English ) BBC. July 30, 1999. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  38. ↑ Dick Rutnagur: The South Africans in India, 1999-2000 ( English ) Wisden. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  39. ↑ AC Ganesh: Tearful end to Cronje's examination ( English ) Cricinfo. June 23, 2000. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  40. ^ Cronje confesses: the full statement ( English ) Guardian. June 15, 2000. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  41. ↑ The fall of Azharuddin ( English ) Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  42. ↑ Sharda Ugra: Mohammed Azharuddin: Indian cricket's morality tale of rags to riches, riches to ruin ( English ) India Today. December 18, 2000. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  43. ↑ Charles Randall: Visu & Osman Samiuddin / cricket / international / india / 2994014 / Azharuddin-is-banned-for-life-by-India-board.html Azharuddin is banned for life by India board ( English ) The Telegraph. December 5, 2000. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  44. ↑ Azharuddin loses court case to overturn life ban ( English ) Cricinfo. August 27, 2003. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  45. ↑ Azharuddin selection causes controversy ( English ) Cricinfo. April 19, 2006. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  46. ↑ Jason Dasy: Azhar, Miandad to play in Twenty20 event in USA ( English ) Cricinfo. April 30, 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  47. ↑ High Court strikes down Azharuddin's life ban ( English ) Cricinfo. November 8, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  48. ↑ Azharuddin keen on contesting from Secunderabad LS seat ( English ) IND today. July 15, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
personal data
SURNAME Azharuddin, Mohammad
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Indian cricketer and team captain of the Indian national team
DATE OF BIRTH February 8, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH Hyderabad , India