Ranji Trophy 2023-2024: Hanuma Vihari to not play for Andhra, former skipper slams ACA after suffering ‘humiliation’

Shortly after losing to Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinal of the Ranji Trophy on Monday, the seasoned Vihari wrote on his social media handles that he’s moving on from Andhra due to humiliation.

Published : Feb 26, 2024 15:42 IST , INDORE - 2 MINS READ

FILE PHOTO: Hanuma Vihari won’t be representing Andhra in the future.
FILE PHOTO: Hanuma Vihari won’t be representing Andhra in the future. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/THE HINDU
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FILE PHOTO: Hanuma Vihari won’t be representing Andhra in the future. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/THE HINDU

Hanuma Vihari has decided that he will never play for Andhra - a team where he lost his self respect. Shortly after losing to Madhya Pradesh in the quarterfinal of the Ranji Trophy on Monday, the seasoned Vihari wrote on his social media handles that he’s moving on from Andhra due to humiliation.

Despite being named the captain for the season, Vihari relinquished the captaincy ahead of Andhra’s second game against Mumbai in January.

“This post is about some facts that I want to put forward. I was the captain in the first game against Bengal, during that game, I shouted on the 17th player, and he complained to his dad (who is a politician). His dad in return asked the Association to take action against me (sic),” Vihari wrote on his social media handles.

“Although we chased 410 against last year’s finalists Bengal, I was asked to resign from captaincy without any fault of mine. I never said anything on a personal note to the player but the association thought that the player was more important than the guy who gave his body on the line last year and batted left handed, took Andhra to knockouts five times in the last seven years and played for India in 16 Tests,” he wrote.

Hurt with the Andhra Cricket Association’s role in the whole issue, he added: “I felt embarrassed but the only reason I continued playing this season is because I respect the game and my team (sic).”

“The sad part is the association thinks that players have to listen to whatever they say and players are there because of them. I felt humiliated and embarrassed but I have never expressed it out until today. I have decided that I’ll never play for Andhra where I lost my self respect.”

He also added that even though the team is growing every season, the association doesn’t want them to grow. Vihari, however, told Sportstar that he’s yet to decide on his future course of action.

Even though Vihari did not name the player, KN Prudhvi Raj, who’s featured in a lone List A game, took to social media to announce that he was the player in question.

He, however, denied all the allegations and claimed that Vihari was playing the sympathy card. “Everyone in the team knows what has happened that day,” he wrote.

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