It was reported by India Today that the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) claimed the teammates were coerced into signing the ‘Letter of support’ for Hanuma Vihari “under threat”. Following the season’s opening match, Vihari took to social media to criticise the ACA for “mistreatment” and claimed he had been requested to step down as captain.
He also claimed that a fight with a colleague who happened to be a politician’s son led to his dismissal. Vihari posted a copy of the statement over social media with the autographs of his colleagues, but according to the ACA, the experienced player coerced the cricketers into signing it. But there is no confirmation whether these reports are true or not
According to the reports, ACA said, “Hanuma Vihari has alleged that despite all the players in the team supporting him to continue as the captain, he was removed. In this regard, the concerned players have complained to the Andhra Cricket Association against Vihari. Some players have complained to the Andhra Cricket Association that they were forced to sign under threats. Andhra Cricket Association will thoroughly investigate all the complaints received and report the facts to the Indian Cricket Board.”
The statement added, “He (Vihari) asked the Andhra Cricket Association to continue on behalf of Andhra, apologising for being emotional and frustrated for not being selected in the Indian team, as he was not given the NOC.”
“There was a class difference in the team” : Andhra Cricket Association on Hanuma Vihari
According to the report, Vihari’s captaincy caused a “class difference” in the squad, as some players complained about his bad attitude and use of profanity. This accusation was made by ACA.
The statement ended with “Moreover, players had previously complained to the Andhra Team Managers Association that Vihari used foul language and misbehaved with fellow players during the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. It was stated that due to the behaviour of Hanuma Vihari, there was a class difference in the team.”
