Will Do My Best To Lift The Standard Of Delhi Cricket And DDCA: Kirti Azad After Filing Nomination

Former India cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad has said he would do his best to lift the standard of cricket and make Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) a better place if his panel was voted to power in the elections scheduled held here from December 13 to 15.

Azad, a member of the 1983 ODI World Cup-winning side under Kapil Dev's captaincy, filed his nomination papers for the post of DDCA president. The results will be declared on December 16.

Azad, a Trinamool Congress MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency in West Bengal, requested the DDCA member to vote for change and elect people who really wanted the betterment of the historic club.

"This is the place where I came to play for the first time for my school and for getting selected. A lot of emotions are attached with this stadium, and when I see the corruption here, where bribes are taken for selection, children of directors get spots ahead of talented youngsters (it hurts me)," said Azad, who played seven Tests and 25 ODIs for the country, in a YouTube video.

He said that the current state of the DDCA pains him.

Azad's fight for the top post will be against the incumbent president Rohan Jaitley, son of the late Arun Jaitley.

"I have been to several clubs around the country but I never saw a worse scenario than this club. Cricket is like a religion in this country and the people who come here and vote make candidates win... so this place needs a lot of change.

"I request the DDCA members to support me. Our team is new and has no allegations (of wrongdoing)... everyone are professionals in their field. They are the people who want to improve the standard of cricket as well as the club."