"Miyan, Captain banoge?"
This poser by the late Raj Singh Dungarpur, the Chairman of Selectors in 1989, to Mohammed Azharuddin is part of cricketing folklore. Three and a half decades later, Azhar gets the chance to be the "Kaptaan'' once again, this time heading a ministry in Telangana. The former India skipper was sworn as a Minister today.
Just like in 1989, Azhar's elevation is with an eye to achieving a specific mission. Then the Indian cricket team was going through a turmoil with former captains like Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Dilip Vengsarkar being dropped and the BCCI wanted a captain who could manage senior players with oversized egos.
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This time, Azhar is being inducted into the Revanth Reddy ministry with an eye on wooing the Muslim vote in the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency, which will vote in a by-election
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