Cricket administrators in Hyderabad have long made more headlines for infighting and allegations of financial impropriety than for cricket. Now the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is trying to change that, and at the centre of that push is M. Jeevan Reddy, who took charge as HCA’s secretary in March.

Two key appointments followed: Ambati Rayudu leading the Cricket Operations Committee and Wasim Jaffer as mentor to every team under its umbrella, both coming on board only after being guaranteed an interference-free environment.

The inaugural edition of TG20 followed, a small but important new feather in a dusty, worn-out cap.

“Anybody in Hyderabad has the opportunity to engage with the best sporting infrastructure. But how about rural Telangana? They don’t have basic facilities, like grounds or nets to practice, or coaches. I wanted to focus on rural cricketing activity when I came in,” Jeevan told The Hindu.

Jeevan has not been shy in seeking help when required. For instance, he roped in people associated with the Tamil Nadu Premier League for the smooth functioning of TG20. This helped more than 150 players get a grand stage to showcase their talent, with some even snapping up trial opportunities with IPL teams.

While international cricket returns to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium after two long years next month, the bigger talking point has been the recent announcement by the State government of a world-class cricket stadium spread across a 100-acre site in Future City.

“We are working towards having a capacity of around 80 to 90 thousand. It’ll also have an academy attached, along with a hotel, a recreational area and three or four practice grounds.

“When you look at where the existing stadium is located, it is not possible to expand it. We are limited by safety challenges. The road approaching the stadium is very narrow, and it is between residential areas. So holding any event there creates a lot of challenges for the residents.”

An interest in being part of an expanding Women’s Premier League canopy is another reason he cited for wanting a new venue.

“In the next two years, there could be three more teams coming in, and then hopefully the matches will also come to Hyderabad. If everything goes according to plan, somebody from Hyderabad itself could own a team,” he explained, stopping short of revealing much more.

On the domestic front, the Gymkhana Ground, a regular Ranji Trophy host in the city, is undergoing major changes ahead of the upcoming season.

“Most pitches are flat these days. There is not a lot of swing now. So we wanted to create an environment where both batters and bowlers can do well and have surfaces that give momentum to the bowlers too.”

When the idea of TG20 was first floated and plans for its inaugural season began to take shape, there was a palpable buzz across Telangana’s cricketing circles. Much of the excitement centered on the promise of discovering hidden gems — talented cricketers from districts beyond Hyderabad finally getting a stage worthy of their ambitions.

That promise has been fulfilled, but perhaps no story captures TG20’s impact better than that of Ved Reddy.

The 16-year-old emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament, spearheading Khammam Aces’ remarkable run to the final. Relentlessly consistent, Ved struck in all nine appearances, finishing second on the wicket-takers’ charts with 15 scalps.

Like most teenagers, though, Ved’s world extends beyond cricket. Every wicket he claims is followed by a celebration that has become as recognizable as his ripping leg-breaks.

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“It’s Michael Olise’s celebration. I am a Real Madrid fan and there are talks about him joining Real Madrid,” he tells The Hindu.

An ardent admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ved’s cricketing journey began almost by chance. At the age of 11, he joined a corporate league where his father played. Competing against men, he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets in just six matches, a breakthrough that set him firmly on the path he now walks.

His transformation into a leg-spinner, however, was born less out of design and more out of practicality. “It was easy for me to turn when I was playing with the tennis ball. It was difficult to run a lot and bowl fast. I used to take two steps and spin, and that’s how I became a spinner.”

While Shane Warne is one of his idols, he also looks up to Rashid Khan a lot.

For all his composure and clarity beyond his years, TG20 presented Ved with an entirely new challenge. Floodlights, loud music, packed stands and the spectacle of professional cricket initially threatened to overwhelm the teenager.

“The fans, music, lights and everything, I felt a little pressure in the first one or two games. I didn’t know what to do. I needed to focus, so I set everything aside, and before every ball, I closed my eyes and breathed a little. That calms me a little.”

The nerves ran so deep that, as Ved recalls with a mischievous smile, even his body refused to cooperate. “My first over, I wanted to bowl the ball somewhere, and it would go somewhere else.”

It did not take long for those jitters to disappear.

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As the tournament progressed, Ved evolved into Aces’ go-to weapon. Trusted with the new ball during the PowerPlay and relied upon again through the middle overs, he repeatedly delivered breakthroughs that kept his side in the contest.

His performances quickly became one of the talking points of the tournament, drawing admiration from opponents, coaches and seasoned professionals alike. Among those impressed was Abhirath Reddy, the Hyderabad e-Champions captain who powered his side to the title while amassing 549 runs to claim the Orange Cap.

Ved had dismissed him during their league-stage encounter. Minutes after that game, Abhirath summed up the teenager’s tournament in one emphatic assessment: “He is the find of the tournament, without a doubt.”