You can’t deny his dignified presence
When some people are bogged down with allegations of match fixing, even if that is revoked later as it was in Azharuddin’s case, they tend to fade away from the spotlight. But Azharuddin has held his head high and has continued to contribute to India.
Azhar has spoken of his dual responsibility as a member of the Parliament and a coach. “There will be no problem in attending Parliament and coaching a team. I can manage both. Mr. Farooq Abdullah asked me if I can coach the Jammu and Kashmir team and I gave my nod. I definitely enjoy coaching.” he said.
Azharuddin has continued to maintain an active interest in the sport of cricket. He has worked with big names as well. He said “I’ve had stints with various English teams brought to India by Graham Gooch and John Emburey. Flintoff had a two-day stint with me in Mumbai. I’m interested in helping the young generation of players. People from abroad have taken my help; I’ll be most happy to help Indian players.”
Regardless of our thoughts on Azhar’s role in the match-fixing scandal, it’s not a good idea to ignore his contributions and not to remember him for more than just a person who was involved in match-fixing.