Mohammad Azharuddin
An Indian cricket captain whose wristy, silken batting elegance was overshadowed by a dramatic fall from grace due to a match-fixing scandal.
Born 1963 (age 63)·Indian cricketer·Birthday: February 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mohammad Azharuddin's story is one of soaring talent and profound controversy. He arrived on the Test scene in 1984 with a debut so spectacular—three consecutive centuries—that it seemed scripted. As a batsman, he was an artist; his wrists could flick good balls to unlikely boundaries, a style that made him a dominant force in one-day cricket. Appointed captain, he led India with a calm exterior, guiding the team to notable overseas victories. For over a decade, he was the epitome of Hyderabad nobility on the field. Then, in 2000, his world shattered. Accusations of involvement in match-fixing led to a life ban from cricket, a verdict that polarized the nation and erased his on-field legacy for a generation. Years later, the ban was lifted by a court, but the stain remained, making his a career forever discussed in two starkly different chapters.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mohammad was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mohammad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Mohammad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored centuries in each of his first three Test matches, a world record at the time.
- Captained India in 47 Test matches and 174 ODIs, including three Cricket World Cups.
- Led India to victory in the 1990-91 and 1995 Asia Cup tournaments.
- Was one of the fastest players to reach 6,000 runs in One Day International cricket.
Did You Know?
He was known for his distinctive style, often wearing a wristband on his right arm while batting.
After his cricket ban, he entered politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Indian National Congress.
He is a skilled billiards player.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted his life ban from cricket in 2012, though the BCCI did not reinstate him.
“Cricket is played with the bat, but it is won with the mind.”
