IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NAGESH BHEEMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No. 32397 OF 2025

07.04.2026 Between:

Prem Goney ….. Petitioner And The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), Rep. by its Secretary, Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana & others.

….. Respondents

O R D E R:

The present Writ Petition is filed by Petitioner represented by his father and natural guardian. Petitioner, aged about 17 years, is aggrieved by the action of Respondents, more particularly Respondents 3 to 8, in arbitrarily and unilaterally excluding him from Hyderabad Under-19 Team selected for participation in the BCCI Men's U-19 Vinoo Mankad Knock-Out Tournament, 2025.

2. The grievance of Petitioner is that despite having been duly and validly selected by the Junior Selection Committee of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, and despite his name having been officially published on the Hyderabad Cricket Association's website on 22.10.2025 and in the Deccan Chronicle Newspaper dated 23.10.2025, petitioner was orally informed through a late-night Whats App call on 23.10.2025 that he had been excluded from the team, without issuance of any written order, notice, reasons or opportunity of hearing. It is contended that such exclusion is illegal, arbitrary, mala fide, violative of principles of natural justice, and contrary to the orders of this Court dated 25.07.2025 passed in IA. No. 1 of 2025 in Writ Petition No. 21904 of 2025, under which Hyderabad Cricket Association and its Apex Council were directed to function only under the supervision and consultation of the Hon'ble One-Man Supervisory Committee.

2.1. The case of petitioner is that he is a registered player of HCA and has been continuously associated with the said Association for a period of more than eight years. During this entire period, he has regularly and consistently participated in tournaments, league matches, and competitions conducted under the aegis of Hyderabad Cricket Association as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India. From his young age, Petitioner pursued the sport with discipline, dedication and commitment and his conduct both on and off the field has remained impeccable, earning him recognition among selectors, coaches, and fellow players.

2.2. It is asserted that Petitioner represented Hyderabad in several age-group categories purely on merit. During 2022-23 season, he captained Hyderabad Cricket Association Under-14 Team in Sri P. Krishna Murthy Trophy, a prestigious age-group tournament, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, composure and all-round cricketing ability. In the subsequent season, namely 2023-24, he was selected to represent Hyderabad Under-16 Team in Vijay Merchant Trophy, one of the premier BCCI age-group tournaments. Owing to these consistent performances, discipline and evident potential, he was selected in year 2024 by the National Cricket Academy, which functions under the supervision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and admits only the most promising young cricketers across the country. Petitioner relies upon the fact that his son has been officially registered with the BCCI under Player ID No. 25290 and had participated in several BCCI-sanctioned tournaments after undergoing the prescribed verification and eligibility processes.

2.3. It is further contended that on 04.11.2024, Petitioner received a communication conveying that a two-year ban had been imposed upon his son, purportedly by the Hyderabad Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, without issuance of any prior notice, explanation or opportunity of hearing. Aggrieved by the said action, Petitioner was constrained to approach this Court by filing W.P. No. 34249 of 2024. By the interim order dated 23.12.2024, this Court directed that Petitioner undergo a second TW-3 bone age assessment. In compliance with the said order, Petitioner underwent the TW-3 test on 25.01.