Hanuma Vihari made the decision to step away from cricket for Andhra Pradesh after a clash with a teammate during a Ranji Trophy match against Bengal in 2024. The incident involved Vihari raising his voice at a teammate, who then reported the matter to his father, a politician. Subsequently, the politician intervened, urging the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) to take action against Vihari, resulting in his removal from the captaincy position.
Following his dismissal, Vihari received support from his peers in the cricketing community, with Robin Bist standing by him in a recent interview. However, the ACA responded to Vihari’s allegations by levying accusations of inappropriate behavior against him, citing past instances.
In defense, the ACA asserted its commitment to fair treatment of all players and stated that the teammate who lodged the complaint had done so officially. Furthermore, the ACA claimed to have informed Vihari in January 2024 about considering a new captain due to concerns over his availability for the entire season, to which Vihari reportedly agreed.
Additionally, the ACA disclosed issues of internal conflict within the Andhra team during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, indicating a history of factionalism. They also revealed Vihari’s repeated requests for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for other states after receiving offers, only to retract them later and apologize for his actions.
Overall, Vihari’s decision to step down from cricket for Andhra Pradesh stemmed from a series of events involving conflicts with teammates, intervention by a politician, and subsequent actions taken by the ACA.
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