By Gulu Ezekiel Indian sports writer

Banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India two years ago for his alleged involvement in match-fixing, he still harbours lingering hopes of a Test comeback.

Azharuddin played his 99th Test in March 2000, scoring his 22nd century in an innings defeat by South Africa at Bangalore.

The ban followed a Central Bureau of Investigation report into "match fixing and allied malpractices" which was released eight months later and which alleged Azhar had a major role to play in the scandal.

The BCCI initiated its own internal inquiry which endorsed the findings and led to three other Indian Test cricketers being banned - Ajay Sharma (life), Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Jadeja (both five years).

Azharuddin claimed there were irregularities in the inquiry, however, and filed an appeal in January 2001.

"We will question the legal credentials of the people who investigated the whole issue," lawyer HR Bhardwaj said at the time.

Now, after lengthy delays, Azharuddin has told Man's World magazine that the High Court of Hyderabad has directed the sessions court to give a ruling on the ban on or before 30 October.

Overlooked

Media support for him has increased since he complained about an alleged snub by the organisers of the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century Awards, which were presented at London's Wembley Conference Centre in July.

"The media needs stories and it needs stars," Hindustan Times sports editor Pradeep Magazine told BBC Sport Online.

"The stories on Azhar have largely been lifestyle-based. But certainly, post-Wisden, there is some sympathy for him in the media now."

Even though he will be 40 next February, Azhar has publicly proclaimed his desire to return to international cricket and play in his 100th Test.