Azharuddin campaigns in Keralam, uses cricket pitch for Congress push

Hyderabad: Former India cricket captain and Telangana Minister Mohammad Azharuddin on Saturday, April 4, criss-crossed Malappuram district as part of the Congress’ campaign for the Keralam Assembly elections, joining local youth in games of cricket and football at Puthanathani before addressing a public meeting in Tirur constituency in support of Congress candidate Kurukkoli Moideen.

Azharuddin, who represented India in 99 Tests and 334 One-Day Internationals (ODI) before his international career ended in 2000, holds the Minorities Welfare portfolio in the Telangana Cabinet and is also a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Advisory Council on Minority Affairs.

At Puthanathani, he stepped onto the field with young supporters for a session of cricket and football before addressing them. The gathering was energised by the former captain’s presence.

The tone shifted to a packed public meeting in Tirur, where Azharuddin drew repeated cheers and laughter with a speech built almost entirely around cricket analogies. Opening with a “Namaskaram” to the crowd, he told the gathering it felt less like a political rally and more like a “huge cricket stadium.”

Pitching for Moideen, Azharuddin described the Congress candidate as a “Test player,” patient, dependable and capable of leading the team to victory. The Opposition, he said to loud laughter, had so far only managed “no balls, wide balls and run-out dramas.”

“In cricket, we say ‘catch wins matches,’ but here, ‘vote wins the future,’” he said, urging voters to treat every vote like a “six.” He closed with a call for unity, saying, “Let Tirur win, let the people win.”

The crowd, largely young, responded enthusiastically to the address.