Former Indian player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that he would want to believe Hanuma Vihari’s version amid the fight with the Andhra Cricket Association. Vihari shared that he was asked to step down from captaincy after he shouted at the 17th member of the Andhra squad whose father is a politician. On the other side, the Andhra Cricket Association has said that the middle-order batter wanted to leave the state team multiple times but he changed his mind subsequently and that he himself gave up captaincy as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Mud-slinging is happening, the blame game is happening from both sides. From a players’ fraternity, you want to trust the player always. Hanuma Vihari is not just any player. He batted for Andhra with one hand when he had a fracture in his hand.”

He further said: “He has had an incredible journey. He has helped Andhra qualify. He has got the team together. I have huge respect for him, whether it was the Sydney match where he played with a torn hamstring and put his career on the line, and then he batted one-handed for Andhra. I would want to actually believe Hanuma Vihari’s version.”

Aakash Chopra also said that he expects the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) to get involved so that everything is judged fairly as well. He also named Vihari’s decision to no longer play for Andhra logical, saying that the relationship has been massively fractured and he could happily play as a professional with any team in the country as well.

“Mohammed Shami got operated on his heel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished him a speedy recovery. It’s a very old injury. Since he has undergone surgery, it means the IPL is gone and the World Cup is also 50-50,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “It’s very important for Mohammed Shami to be in the Indian team and if I see it from the Gujarat Titans’ viewpoint, it’s a huge miss. Umesh Yadav might do that job with the new ball but Mohammed Shami at the death was another beast,”