After a Long time, Telangana cricketers have something to celebrate. While several states across India have been successfully conducting their own T20 leagues, providing talented players with opportunities to shine and eventually make it to the IPL, Hyderabad had been lagging behind. As a result, only two cricketers from the region managed to secure regular spots in the Indian team — Mohammed Siraj and Tilak Varma.
The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) had long been planning to launch its own state T20 league, but persistent administrative issues and allegations of corruption within the association delayed the project. There was uncertainty over the board's functioning, and questions were repeatedly raised regarding the utilization of funds received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
As a result, Telangana cricket saw little progress over the past decade. However, this year, after overcoming numerous obstacles, the HCA finally launched the state's first-ever T20 franchise tournament, named TG20. To boost the league's profile, former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu was appointed as its brand ambassador. This has provided Telangana's aspiring cricketers with a long-awaited platform to showcase their talent.
Adding to the excitement, the inaugural TG20 player auction was held on June 7 at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. The auction attracted significant attention, particularly because of the participation of Team India stars.
The biggest attraction was Tilak Varma, who fetched more than ₹30 lakh in the auction. After an intense bidding war, the Medak Falcons secured his services for a whopping ₹33 lakh. Meanwhile, Indian pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj was bought by the Warangal Warriors for ₹14 lakh.
With these signings, Siraj and Tilak Varma are expected to be among the marquee players of the inaugural TG20 season. Overall, more than 1,300 local cricketers participated in the auction. The tournament will feature eight franchises competing over 21 days, with a total of 32 matches scheduled to be played.
