MUHAMMAD AZHAR UD DIN (INDIAN)

Introduction:

Muhammad Azhar ud din (born 8 February 1963 in Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh,India) is a former cricketer and an Indian politician. He was an accomplished batsman and captained the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990, winning the Arjuna Award in 1986. A member of the Indian National Congress, Muhammad Azhar ud din was an M.P from the Moradabad of Uttar Pradesh. Muhammad Azhar ud din was implicated in a match fixing scandal in 2000, and banned for life, but on 8 November 2012, the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the ban, describing it as "unsustainable". As a cricketer, he was known for a graceful and fluid batting style, He also won praise else where, with umpire Venkataraghavan stating that "Muhammad Azhar ud din had the best wrists in the game" . He has held records for the fastest hundred in ODIs and also the highest career runs in ODIs. Many say that due to the scandal that married the latter part of his career, he was unable to retire with the honour that befitted him.

Personal Llife:

Muhammad Azhar ud din grew up in Hyderabad and attended All Saints High School, Hyderabad in Hyderabad, of which fellow cricketers Venkatapathy Raju and Noel David are also alumni. While playing cricket, he graduated from Nizaam College, Osmenia University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Muhammad Azhar ud din was first married to Naureen, with whom he had two sons, Asad and Ayaz, and whom he divorced after 9 years of marriage. He then married model actor Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996. The couple separated in 2010. On 16 September 2011, his son Ayazuddin, aged 19, died following a road accident.

Career:

Muhammad Azhar ud din is the only cricketer with the distinction of scoring a century in each of his first three tests.  scored a final total of 22 centuries in test cricket, at an average of 45, and 7 in ODIs, at an average of 37. To date,  As a fielder, he took 156 catches in ODI cricket a world record until surpassed by Mahela Jayawardene. He has also held world records for maximum ODI runs and fastest ODI hundred, both subsequently broken by other players, and scored centuries in his first and last Tests. His highest test score is 199, gained against Sri Lanka, and in 1991, ''Wisden Cricketer of the Year''. Muhammad Azhar ud din was captain of the Indian team for most of the 1990s. Statistically he is one of India's most successful captains, winning 90 ODIs, which was broken by M.S. Dhoni on 2 September 2014 against England overtaking him as the most successful Indian ODI captain with 91 victories. His 14 test match wins as captain was a record until it was bettered by then Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly with 21 test match wins.

Towards the end of his career Muhammad Azhar ud din was accused of match fixing, South African captain Hansie Cronje, in his confession to match fixing, had indicated that Muhammad Azhar ud din was the one to introduce him to the bookies. India's premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, conducted an investigation and published a report.

Muhammad Azhar ud din admitted to fixing three ODI matches, and this led both the ICC and the BCCI to ban him for life in 2000. The BCCI lifted the ban on Muhammad Azhar ud din in 2006, even honouring him along with other Indian Test captains in a ceremony in Mumbai during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. The ICC, however, has stated that it alone has the right to revoke the ban, despite playing no role in handing out the original ban. On 8 November 2012 a Divisional Bench consisting of Justice Ashutosh Mohanta and Justice Krishna Mohan Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed the ban imposed upon him after the allegations. In one of his interviews, Muhammad Azhar ud din later claimed that he was being targeted because he was from a minority community.

Political Life:

Muhammad Azhar ud din joined the Indian National Congress party on 19 February 2009. He contested the Indian general election, 2009 from Moradabad in western Uttar Pradesh. Prior to election, he announced his intention to construct a university and a stadium in Moradabad, as well as improve the city's electricity problem, but did not deliver. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he lost against BJP candidate Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh.

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