When Ambati Rayudu Accused An Ex-BCCI President Of Destroying His Career To Help Son

when ambati rayudu accused an ex-bcci president of destroying his career to help son hanuma vihari

Hanuma Vihari dropped a bombshell on Monday (February 26), which has left the Indian cricket fraternity in shock as the India batter revealed that he was removed from the captaincy of the Andhra Pradesh cricket team following the interference of a politician whose son complained against him, forcing the Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association (ACA) to take action against him.

Vihari’s case has opened up major questions about the Indian cricket structure, whether players are given the right environment to excel in, and whether the decision-making and selections are fair and on merit.

While Vihari’s social media post has elicited reactions from across the nation, the unfortunate reality is that this is not the first time a case like this has emerged in India. Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu once revealed that former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Shivlal Yadav had tried to ruin his career in order to help his son Arjun Yadav.

This incident occurred when Rayudu played for Hyderabad. Rayudu and Arjun once got into a heated fight on the field in the 2005–06 season when Rayudu moved to Andhra Pradesh and the two sides went head-to-head.

“Politics started from my childhood in the Hyderabad Cricket Association. Arjun Yadav, son of Shivlal Yadav, was harassed with the intention of playing for Team India. As I was playing better than Arjun Yadav, they tried to remove me. Still I am only 17 years old. Arjun Yadav wanted to be selected for Team India soon. It was not because of him that he played for India. What do we do about it? Cancer started in my childhood in HCA. Now it has reached the fourth stage. The situation will change only if BCCI intervenes. Otherwise no one can repair HCA,” said Rayudu on TV9 News Telugu in an interview last year.

“I played brilliantly for India-A in 2003-04. But in 2004, the selection committee changed and Shivalal Yadav’s close friends joined the panel, so I didn’t get a chance. It was also wrong to ask why I was not selected. They prevented anyone from talking to me for four years. The day before the match, Shivlal Yadav’s younger brother used to come drunk and swear at banda bootuli in front of the house. They tried to hurt me mentally,” Rayudu added.

Shival who served as the Hyderabad Cricket Assocation (HCA) president in the past played a total of 35 Test and 7 ODIs for India. He was appointed BCCI President on an interim basis in 2014.

Arjun never played for India and ended his career after playing 83 first-class matches and 69 List A games. He had a stint with the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL).