The Telangana Districts Cricket Association (TDCA) along with student organizations staged a protest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium demanding more representation of Telangana players in the Sunrisers Hyderabad team.
The protest was led by TDCA president Allipuram Venkateshwar Reddy, who said that the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad have the financial capacity to buy Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for ₹2.34 crore in the 100 league, but failed to provide opportunities to talented cricketers from Telangana.
They criticized the franchise for spending millions on overseas players while allegedly neglecting local youth. They argued that IPL franchises from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Punjab have provided opportunity to Telugu players, but Sunrisers Hyderabad have not shown similar support towards local cricketers.
“You are looking for Telangana’s market, revenue and resources, but you are denying playing opportunities to our talented youth. There can be no greater injustice than this,” Mr. Reddy said. He demanded that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Sports Minister Srihari and Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran should address the concerns and ensure justice for Telangana cricketers.
Published – 24 March 2026 23:33 IST
